Preventing Diabetes Complications: 6 Useful Tips You Must Practice
As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure.
In medicine, we believe that prevention is the best intervention. That is why we at Hubcare Health are dedicated to educating you about the prevention of major health conditions to preserve your health and decrease the incidence of diseases.
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that is characterized by high blood glucose levels. Several complications can arise from diabetes. These include diabetic retinopathy (an eye problem), heart disease, diabetic nephropathy (kidney problems), nerve damage, and so on.
But the good news is, you can prevent these complications by practicing what is right for you to do. After reading this article, you will have learned six practices you must imbibe to prevent diabetes complications.
Now, let’s get started!
- Maintain a Healthy Eating Plan
What you eat and drink is a major determinant of the state of your well-being. Whether your health is perfectly fine or not, you still have to eat right. Make it a routine to feed on a balanced diet; plan your meals, avoid too much cholesterol, take a lot of fruits, and eat veggies.
It’s also important to discuss with your healthcare provider in case you need some diet modifications, like low salt or low protein.
- Take your medications adequately.
As a diabetic patient, it may be quite overwhelming considering how often you need to take medications. But remember, it’s all for your good. It’s impossible to maintain a healthy lifestyle if you don’t adhere to your doctor’s recommendations.
A good way to help yourself is to keep a medication list. This entails all your prescribed drugs and their dosage.
- Regular blood glucose test
A glucometer is a device for testing the quantity of glucose in your blood. As a diabetic patient, it’s necessary to have one. It’s advised to check your blood glucose at least once a day. Regular blood glucose tests help you keep track of and monitor any abnormal changes.
High blood glucose can lead to nerve damage. So, it’s necessary to keep your blood sugar in a target range to prevent it or slow down its progress.
- Get physically active regularly.
Exercise is inevitable for good health. Getting physically active daily makes your body more sensitive to insulin, which helps you manage diabetes.
Physical activities also help you control blood glucose levels and lower your risk of heart and nerve damage. You simply need to devote a minimum of 30 minutes a day to physical activity. You’ll be surprised at how much this will help you.
- Regular medical checkups and consultation
In preventing diabetes complications, it’s pertinent for you to seek regular and periodic medical care and support. You may decide to visit your healthcare provider on the appointment, or seek medical consultation virtually as in the case of telemedicine.
This gives you an avenue to discuss any health changes and get the doctor’s recommendations to prevent any complications.
- Diabetes self-management education
Make a commitment to managing your diabetes by learning the basics of diabetic care. Learn all you can about it and seek support from your primary health care providers, a diabetes care specialist, and a dietician.
You may also opt in for virtual health training or join an online community. The goal is to make sure you learn about your condition and the easy ways you can help yourself.
These are the six simple practices you can commit to starting today to prevent diabetes complications. Subscribe to our newsletters to get more wellness tips.
References
- “Prevent Diabetes Complications | CDC” https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/problems.html
- “Get Active! | Diabetes | CDC” https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/active.html
Maryam Akinade is a creative medical writer who has a passion for helping people stay informed on health and well-being. For your question, or feedbacks please send an email to maryamakinade365@gmail.com
