Living well with diabetes means knowing how to care for yourself. Paying attention to your lifestyle and health can help you live life on your own terms and prevent some of the problems diabetes can bring.
Understanding the basics of type 2 diabetes
To take good care of yourself, you need to grasp the basics of what’s happening in your body. When you eat or drink, your body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose (also called blood sugar). Blood sugar provides energy for your body.
Meanwhile, your pancreas produces a hormone called insulin. This hormone helps blood sugar enter your body’s cells to be used for energy.
But with type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t use insulin well. Glucose can’t get into the cells, and this results in high levels of sugar in the bloodstream.
High levels of blood sugar over time can lead to health issues. These include heart disease, kidney disease, nerve damage, eye damage, and infections.
With lifestyle changes and perhaps medicines, you can work on lowering your blood sugar levels.
What it means to live well with diabetes
The 3 main goals of living well with diabetes are:
- Keeping blood sugar levels within a healthy range
- Preventing or reducing complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, nerve damage, and eye problems
- Achieving and enjoying the quality of life you want
Eating healthy foods is key
Diabetes is a result of your body not being able to properly use the foods you eat. Making healthy food choices is key to managing diabetes. A diabetes meal plan—perhaps drawn up with a dietician—will help you stay on track.
Foods that foster good diabetes management are:
- Fruits
- Veggies
- Whole grain foods
- High-protein foods such as seafood, beans, nuts, and poultry
- Vegetable oils, as well as oils in foods such as seafood and nuts
Go easy on foods with added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.
When you draw up your diabetes meal plan be mindful of carbs, because carbs are broken down into sugar most easily. Since the goal is to lower blood sugar, eating fewer carbs can help manage diabetes. Labels on packaged foods list the total carbs per serving. This total includes starches, sugar, and fiber. Choose foods that are high in fiber (and low in sugar) within the total carb count on the label.
Keep in mind that you do need some carbs in your food plan so you don’t want to cut them out entirely. One way to approach eating carbs is to know which foods or food groups are lowest in carbs. Eat more of those foods than foods high in carbs.
Aim to eat more non-starchy veggies:
- Lettuce
- Broccoli
- Tomatoes
- Green beans
- Cucumbers
Eat some starchy carbs:
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Cantaloupe
- Brown rice
- Whole wheat bread
- Whole grain pasta
- Sweet potatoes
- Black beans
- Kidney beans
- Chickpeas
Eat very little, if any, carb foods that are highly processed or have added sugar:
- Juice
- White bread
- White rice
- Cakes
- Cookies
- Candy
- Chips
Also watch portion sizes. You can use the diabetes plate method of filling half your plate with non-starchy veggies, a quarter of your plate with a whole grain starch such as brown rice, and a quarter of your plate with a lean protein such as chicken breast.
Your health care plan may provide a consultation or class with a dietician to help you with food choices and portions to include in your diabetes meal plan.
Physical activity is so important
Being active can help manage your diabetes and keep complications to a minimum. Physical activity helps lower blood sugar. It can also boost sensitivity to insulin. Plus, moving more will help build up muscles and bones, lower risk of heart issues, and lift your sense of well-being.
You may also want to take a walk after a meal to help keep blood sugar from rising.
The goal is to be moderately active at least 150 minutes a week. If you are not that active yet, you can work up to it. Walking or jogging are great activities. Cycling and swimming are good workouts for your heart. And strength training to build muscle mass can have a direct effect on blood sugar. Make sure to check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.
Keep an eye on your weight
If you are overweight, losing even a few pounds can help you better manage your blood sugar levels. Your doctor may recommend that you lose about 10 percent of your body weight over 6 months. You can work to keep the weight off with your food plan and physical activity. Check with your doctor to see what weight management goals are right for you and how to best achieve them.
Sometimes medications are the best course of action
Healthy eating and exercise can lower high blood sugar. Sometimes, though, lifestyle changes aren’t enough to bring blood sugar within a normal range. In cases like this, medicines may help.
Your doctor and health care team can advise on whether you would likely benefit from medicine. If so, be careful to use the meds exactly as prescribed.
Different meds work in different ways. Some encourage the pancreas to make more insulin. Others help the body to use insulin more efficiently. Still others lower the amount of sugar that goes into the intestines.
Talk with your doctor if you have any questions about medicines. If you have side effects, let your doctor know. And if a medicine isn’t working well to manage your blood sugar, you and your doctor can talk about trying something else.
Continue monitoring your blood sugar
Your doctor can help you monitor your blood sugar levels with a fasting blood sugar test and/or an A1C test. While you may be asked to check your blood sugar levels with a home monitoring kit, you will sometimes need to go to a medical lab to make sure readings are accurate and to get other blood tests related to diabetes that you can’t do at home. Depending on the results, your doctor can then decide whether your treatment plan is working or needs changes.
Fasting blood sugar test
The fasting blood sugar test measures the sugar in your blood after you’ve gone without eating or drinking for 8 to 12 hours. The results show the amount of sugar in your blood when it is at its lowest between meals.
A reading of 99 mg/dL or less is normal. A result of 100 – 125 mg/dL is high and may indicate prediabetes. That means that your blood sugar level is higher than normal but not yet in the diabetic range. Above 126 mg/dL is the diabetic range.
Keep in mind that one fasting blood sugar reading is not usually enough for a diagnosis of prediabetes or diabetes. Other factors, such as illness or stress, can affect readings. But if fasting blood sugar is high, you can take steps to find out why.
A1C test
The A1C blood test shows the average blood sugar level for the past 2 to 3 months. So while the fasting blood sugar test shows your levels on the day of the test, the A1C test gives a snapshot of how you are doing over time. You do not have to fast before an A1C test.
Not only can the A1C help diagnose diabetes, it can also show whether a treatment plan is working well. Based on this and other tests, you and your doctor may discuss any changes needed to your diabetes management plan.
Plan to take this test twice a year if your diabetes is in control and you are not taking insulin. If you are on insulin, your doctor may want to test you 4 times a year.
Results of the A1C are given by a percentage scale:
- Below 5.7% is normal
- 5.7% to 6.4% indicates prediabetes
- 6.5% or higher on 2 tests indicates diabetes
For people living with diabetes, an A1C level of less than 7% is a common goal. This can vary depending on factors like your age and health status.
Take care of your overall health
Diabetes can affect your health in many ways. If you are diabetic, taking good care of yourself can help avoid complications, including:
- Heart issues
- Stroke
- Kidney disease
- Nerve damage
- Foot health issues
- Dental issues
- Skin issues
- Depression
Take note of these ways you can work on your overall health:
- If you use tobacco, try to quit as soon as possible.(Check out the CDC for resources to help you quit. )
- If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about whether alcohol is safe for you. Many doctors caution against drinking alcohol if you have diabetes. It may adversely affect blood sugar levels (and other areas of health).
- Maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Check with your doctor for ways to do this.
- Keep up with vaccinations such as the flu shot, COVID-19, and the pneumococcal vaccination. You may need other vaccinations based on your age or health status, so check with your doctor.
Pay special attention to your eyes, feet, and teeth
When you are diabetic, your eyes, feet, and teeth are especially prone to health issues.
Eye care
The leading cause of blindness in working-age adults is diabetic retinopathy. This is when high blood sugar harms the back parts of the eyes and reduces vision. Diabetes can also cause early onset of cataracts, glaucoma, and other eye issues that worsen vision.
Here are 3 ways to lower your risk :
- Schedule regular eye exams.
- Keep cholesterol in a healthy range.
- Maintain normal blood pressure.
Foot care
Diabetes can cause serious damage to your feet due to poor blood flow and nerve damage. This makes it more difficult for sores or cuts to heal. If infection sets in, serious complications can lead to further problems and even amputation. This is why diabetes foot care, both at home and under your doctor’s care, is so important.
Fortunately, there are simple ways to care for your feet. Check your feet daily for any sores or cracked skin. Early treatment is important. Also, wear shoes that fit properly. When you sit, prop your feet up if you can. Wiggle your toes a few times during the day. Wash your feet daily in warm water, pat them dry, and apply lotion to the tops and bottoms of your feet.
Call your doctor if you notice any of the following:
- Cracked skin
- Sores that aren’t healing
- Tingling or burning in your feet
- Loss of feeling in your feet
- Thick yellow toenails
Teeth care
Your teeth also need special care when you have diabetes. Your meds and the increased amount of sugar in your saliva make you more prone to cavities and gum disease.
When dealing with diabetes, you should regularly schedule dental exams. Let your dentist know that you have diabetes. Talk with your dentist about a self-care cleaning routine. Follow up by asking how often you should schedule exams.
Call your dentist right away if you notice:
- Swollen, painful, or bleeding gums
- Gums pulling away from your teeth
- Loose or painful teeth
- Widening spaces between teeth
- Dry mouth
A diabetes diagnosis means you’ll need to pay close attention to many aspects of your health. Read about diabetes and consider going to workshops or classes to learn how to manage it. Ask for support from family and friends as you make lifestyle changes.
Living well with diabetes is something that takes work—but it can be a reality. Focus on what you can do to take care of yourself today and prevent future complications. You’ll find that you can still enjoy your favorite activities and spend quality time with the people you love.
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This information is not intended to take the place of regular medical care or advice. Please check with your doctor before using this information or beginning any self-care program. Images used for this article do not depict any members of the Silver&Fit program.
References
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American Diabetes Association. (2023, October). Did you know?
https://diabetes.org/sites/default/files/2023-10/FOD-HVM-0-10-17-23.pdf
American Diabetes Association. (n.d.). Eye health. https://diabetes.org/diabetes/eye-health
American Diabetes Association. (n.d.). Life doesn’t end with type 2 diabetes. https://diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/type-2
American Heart Association. (2024, April 4). Living healthy with diabetes. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/diabetes/prevention--treatment-of-diabetes/living-healthy-with-diabetes
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 15). Promoting eye health.
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/hcp/clinical-guidance/promote-eye-health.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 15). Your feet and diabetes. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/diabetes-complications/diabetes-and-your-feet.html
Cleveland Clinic. (2021, October 17). Fasting blood sugar test. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/21952-fasting-blood-sugar
Gong, M. (2022, November 16). Healthy habits to help you prevent or manage your type 2 diabetes. UC Davis Health. https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/healthy-lifestyle-habits-to-help-you-prevent-or-manage-your-type-2-diabetes/2022/11
Mayo Clinic.org. (2022, December 1). A1C test. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/a1c-test/about/pac-20384643
Mayo Clinic Health System. (2022, April 19). How to live well with diabetes. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/how-to-live-well-with-diabetes
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2022, January). Diabetes, gum disease, and other dental problems. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/preventing-problems/gum-disease-dental-problems
This article was written by Sharon Odegaard, edited by Jason Nielsen, and clinically reviewed by Justine Greene, MD, on September 20, 2024.
