Being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes can lead to anxiety, fear, and a lot of confusion about what types of foods you should be eating. It also usually comes with the harsh reality you may be faced with taking medication for the rest of your life. However, the good news is there are steps you can implement in your diet and lifestyle that can help improve your overall health, and potentially even reverse you Type 2 diabetes.
Let us look at the top four tips on living healthy with diabetes…
1. Eliminate Processed Sugar. A huge part of controlling your blood sugar is watching your diet. A big way to improve your health is to swap out processed sugar for natural sweeteners such as stevia, or high-fiber fruits like raspberries. The less sugar you eat, the better you will be able to balance your blood sugar levels.
2. Combat Stress. During times of difficulty, your blood sugar levels increase, so here is one more reason to make sure you are managing your overall stress levels. Knowing how to handle stress best is essential when you are feeling completely overwhelmed, as this type of pressure can interfere with your overall health. Try to implement a handful of stress-management techniques into your day whether this is…
- a yoga class,
- deep breathing, or just
- taking a few minutes to meditate before you start your day.
Making time for just a small about of stress reduction can make a huge difference in how you feel, and how well you balance your blood sugar levels.
3. Check in with Your Doctor. After you are diagnosed with high and unstable blood sugar, it can be easy to become overwhelmed, and you may forget to follow-up with your routine doctor’s appointment. Following up with your doctor can help with your diabetes management plan. Your doctor can run blood tests to check your cholesterol and triglyceride levels and to monitor your blood sugar.
4. Exercise. Exercise is vital for overall health and can help you better manage your Type 2 diabetes. Being physically active can help lower your blood sugar and also help you maintain a healthy weight. Do whatever form of exercise you love, so you know you will stick with it!
While being diagnosed with diabetes of any form can come with a lot of confusion, it does not mean you cannot live a healthy lifestyle. Making healthy changes can help you better control your diabetes by getting your blood sugar levels in check, and may even help you reverse your Type 2 diabetes over time.