Common Ailment Management

DIABETES PATIENT

Medical care

If you are living with diabetes or have a loved with the disease, it's important to work together to manage diabetes to stay healthy and prevent complications. Here are four key steps to help you control your diabetes and live a long, active life.

Step 1: Learn About Diabetes.

Diabetes means that your blood glucose (blood sugar) is too high. There are two main types of diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes - the body does not make insulin. Insulin helps the body use glucose from food for energy. People with type 1 need to take insulin every day.

Type 2 diabetes - the body does not make or use insulin well. People with type 2 often need to take pills or insulin. Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes.

Gestational diabetes - may occur when a woman is pregnant. Gestational diabetes raises her risk of getting another type of diabetes, mostly type 2, for the rest of her life. It also raises her child’s risk of being overweight and getting diabetes.

Be Aware

You may have heard people say they have "a touch of diabetes" or "your sugar is a little high." These words suggest that diabetes is not a serious disease. That is not correct. Diabetes is serious, but you can learn to manage it! All people with diabetes need to make healthy food choices, stay at a healthy weight, and be physically active every day. Taking good care of yourself and your diabetes can help you feel better. It may help you avoid health problems caused by diabetes such as:

Heart disease and stroke.

When your blood glucose (blood sugar) is close to normal you are likely to:

Step 2: Know Your Diabetes ABCs. (A1C, Blood Pressure, and Cholesterol)

Talk to your health care team about how to manage your A1C (blood glucose or sugar), Blood pressure, and Cholesterol. This will help lower your chances of having a heart attack, a stroke, or other diabetes problems. Here’s what the ABCs of diabetes stand for:

"A" for the A1C test

The A1C Test shows you what your blood glucose has been over the last three months. The A1C goal for many people is below 7. High blood glucose levels can harm your heart and blood vessels, kidneys, feet, and eyes.

B" for Blood Pressure

Your blood pressure goal should be below 140/80 unless your doctor helps you set a different goal.

High blood pressure makes your heart work too hard. It can cause heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease.

"C" for Cholesterol

Ask what your cholesterol numbers should be.

LDL or "bad" cholesterol can build up and clog your blood vessels. It can cause a heart attack or a stroke. HDL or "good" cholesterol helps remove cholesterol from your blood vessels.

Step 3: Manage Your Diabetes.

Many people avoid the long-term problems of diabetes by taking good care of themselves. Work with your health care team to reach your ABC goals (A1C, Blood Pressure, and Cholesterol): Use this self-care plan.

Step 4: Get Routine Care to Avoid Problems.

See your health care team at least twice a year to find and treat any problems early. Ask what steps you can take to reach your goals.

If you have diabetes, at each visit be sure you have a:

If you have diabetes, two times each year get:

If you have diabetes, once each year be sure you have a:

If you have diabetes, you should know the following

Hypertension

Adopting a healthy lifestyle — which means cutting back on salt, shedding excess pounds, not smoking, and maintaining a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains — is the cornerstone of blood pressure management. If you don't have diabetes or damage to the heart, brain, kidneys, or eyes, lifestyle changes alone may be enough to bring a high blood pressure reading into the normal range.

1. Manage Stress to Manage Hypertension

Stress can cause temporary increases in high blood pressure, but scientists are still unsure how stress affects blood pressure over the long term. Evidence suggests, however, that stress can lead to overeating, smoking, drinking, and other blood pressure-raising activities. So pay attention to your stress levels, and avoid unnecessarily stressful activities and events. Remember that regular exercise reduces stress as it improves heart health.

2. Practice Relaxation Techniques

Taking time out to unwind each day may help you control your high blood pressure. Find some relaxation techniques that you enjoy and practice them regularly. Examples of relaxation practices include meditating in a peaceful place for 15 to 20 minutes, expressing your gratitude for the positive things in your life, and engaging in soothing physical activities such as yoga or tai chi.

3. Eat a Balanced Diet

There is evidence that people who consume a healthy diet can prevent high blood pressure or lower blood pressure if they already have hypertension. Aim for a diet that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and lean protein sources, such as skinless poultry and fish. It should also be low in saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol, and added sugars — and skip the trans-fat altogether.

4. Reduce Salt Intake

Limiting the amount of sodium (salt) in your diet can also help control high blood pressure. General guidelines are to consume less than 2,400 milligrams of sodium per day, but if you already have high blood pressure, that number drops. And the lower your sodium intake, the better it is for your blood pressure. In one study, people who consumed less than 1,500 mg of sodium a day experienced the most significant reductions in blood pressure. Remember to count the sodium in packaged foods as well as any table salt you use when calculating how much you’re eating.

5. Maintain a Healthy Weight

If you’re overweight, losing as few as 10 pounds can lower high blood pressure. Carrying extra weight not only increases your risk of high blood pressure, it also makes you more likely to develop cholesterol problems and diabetes, which are two more risk factors for heart disease. Talk with your doctor about your weight. If you are overweight, he or she can recommend a safe weight loss program.

6. Limit Alcohol Intake

Drinking alcohol in moderation is generally not harmful and may even have some heart health benefits, but drinking too much has been shown to lead to high blood pressure and other serious health problems. Limit your alcohol intake to one drink per day if you are a woman or two drinks per day if you are a man. One drink is 12 ounces of beer, four ounces of wine, one and a half ounces of 80-proof liquor, or one ounce of 100-proof liquor

7. Stop Smoking to Limit Artery Damage

Smoking is not considered to be a cause of high blood pressure, but it can damage the walls of your blood vessels and harden your arteries, making it especially dangerous for people who have high blood pressure. If you don't smoke, don’t start, and if you do smoke, make quitting a top priority. Studies have shown that your risk of having a heart attack dips just one year after you quit smoking

8. Monitor Your Blood Pressure at Home

There are often no warning signs that you have high blood pressure before it damages your body. That is why it is important to keep track of your blood pressure, to make sure it is under control and being managed properly. Since your blood pressure can fluctuate between doctor visits, consider investing in a home monitoring kit, and then regularly record your blood pressure readings so your doctor can have a clearer picture of your blood pressure over time.

Eye problems that can lead to trouble seeing or going blind.

Nerve damage that can cause your hands and feet to feel numb. Some people may even lose a foot or a leg.

Kidney problems that can cause your kidneys to stop working.

Gum disease and loss of teeth.

Have more energy.

Be less tired and thirsty and urinate less often.

Heal better and have fewer skin, or bladder infections.

Have fewer problems with your eyesight, feet, and gums.

Use your diabetes meal plan. If you do not have one, ask your health care team about one.

Make healthy food choices such as fruits and vegetables, fish, lean meats, chicken or turkey without the skin, dry peas or beans, whole grains, and low-fat or skim milk and cheese.

Keep fish and lean meat and poultry portion to about 3 ounces (or the size of a deck of cards). Bake, broil, or grill it.

Eat foods that have less fat and salt.

Eat foods with more fibre such as whole grains cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta.

Get 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. Brisk walking is a great way to move more.

Stay at a healthy weight by using your meal plan and moving more.

Ask for help if you feel down. A mental health counsellor, support group, member of the clergy, friend, or family member who will listen to your concerns may help you feel better.

Learn to cope with stress. Stress can raise your blood glucose (blood sugar). While it is hard to remove stress from your life, you can learn to handle it.

Stop smoking. Ask for help to quit.

Take medicines even when you feel good. Ask your doctor if you need aspirin to prevent a heart attack or stroke. Tell your doctor if you cannot afford your medicines or if you have any side effects.

Check your feet every day for cuts, blisters, red spots, and swelling. Call your health care team right away about any sores that do not go away.

Brush your teeth and floss every day to avoid problems with your mouth, teeth, or gums

Check your blood glucose (blood sugar). You may want to test it one or more times a day. Use the card at the back of this booklet to keep a record of your blood glucose numbers. Be sure to take this record to your doctor visits.

Check your blood pressure if your doctor advises.

Report any changes in your eyesight to your doctor.

Blood pressure check

Foot check

Weight check

Review of your self-care plan shown in Step 3

A1C test - it may be checked more often if it is over 7

Cholesterol test

Triglyceride (try-GLISS-er-ide) test - a type of blood fat

Complete foot exam

Dental exam to check teeth and gums - tell your dentist you have diabetes

Dilated eye exam to check for eye problems

Flu shot

Urine and a blood test to check for kidney problems

Ask your health care team about these and other tests you may need. Ask what the results mean.

Write down the date and time of your next visit.

Use the card of the back of this booklet to keep a record of your diabetes care.

If you have Medicare, ask your health care team if Medicare will cover some of the costs for

Learning about healthy eating and diabetes self-care

Special shoes, if you need them

Medical supplies

Diabetes medicines