Managing your diabetes can be challenging and frustrating at times. Decisions constantly need to be made: checking your blood glucose and interpreting that number, taking medication, making healthy food choices, finding time to exercise, trying to prevent diabetes-related complications. It can feel overwhelming at times. We highly recommend taking a step back and reviewing your plan for coping. This view of the situation can frequently provide insight into the root cause of your stress.
Coping Strategies:
- Pay attention to your feelings and be sure to share these feelings with your healthcare provider.
- Ask for help with your diabetes management plan especially when it doesn’t seem realistic to you.
- Talk out the situation with a trusted friend and/or family member. Family and friends are part of your support system and can be relied upon for help.
- Try journaling – writing down your thoughts can be revealing. It can allow you to see the “big picture”.
- Practice Gratitude – it only takes a few minutes to jot down the “Top 3 Good” moments or things in your day!
- Make yourself a priority! Take time to meditate, exercise, and/or listen to music.
- Consider joining a diabetes support group. Whether the group is online or in-person, having someone to talk to who is also facing similar challenges can be very beneficial both emotionally and socially.
- Here are a few Diabetes On-line Communities (DOC) to consider:
- Diatribe
- Beyond Type 1
- Beyond Type 2
- TCOYD (Taking Care of Your Diabetes) https://tcoyd.org/
Additional References:
Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists
Note: To access the information, simply click on the underlined names above and it will connect you to that website.
To Test or Not To Test….
One of the best tools in the toolkit of a person with diabetes is the glucometer or continuous glucose monitor. Knowledge is power. Checking your blood glucose (BG) levels can help you to:
- see the effect of the diabetes medications
- identify the highs and lows
- learn how diet and exercise affect your BG levels
- track your progress in reaching your overall goals
- understand how illness or stress affect your BG levels
Best times to check your BG:
- Fasting (when you first wake up)
- Before meals
- 2 hours after the meal
- Before exercise
- Anytime you feel “off”
How often you should test your BG depends on many factors:
- Which type of diabetes do you have? (Type 1 or Type 2)
- What class of medications you take?
- What your current level of BG control is.
Most insurance companies will pay for supplies based on these guidelines. If you are taking a long-acting insulin then you should be testing at minimum twice daily. Taking insulin with meals, then you should be checking your BG before and 2-hours after.
Not taking insulin and feel limited with supplies? Varying the times that you test (fasting, pre-meal or 2-hours after the meal) can provide you and your provider with the information needed so you can reach your health goals.
Your provider will use the BG information to:
- decide if your current treatment plan is working
- make adjustments to your medications
- make recommendations for additional treatment(s)
Use your computer or the mobile app connected to the meter to share your BG information.
Coach’s Corner
It’s summertime!
With warmer weather, we tend to grill as much as possible. Did you know that you can a whole meal, from meat to vegetables all on the same grill? We even grill pizza! (and occasionally fruit)
Here are some ideas to consider (click on the bold underlined title to link over to the recipe website):
Anything on a skewer:
to prevent the meat and vegetables from drying out, we either use marinades or simply brush the skewered food with olive oil and sprinkle with spices before placing on the pre-heated grill.
Foil Packets:
Almost anything can be cooked in foil – key is to use either non-stick aluminum foil or to spray the foil with cooking spray beforehand
Grill Baskets:
are handy tools – just preheat on the grill and add the prepared vegetables to it.
Even a healthy dessert can be done on the grill!