6 Ways Diabetics Can Improve Quality of Life

Diabetes is a complicated illness with many contributing factors. It can be overwhelming to manage it when you’re first diagnosed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t live a normal life. With a few simple lifestyle changes, you can live a normal and healthy life.

Today, we’ll go over six ways you can improve your quality of life as a diabetic. Let’s dive in and get started.

1. Create a Realistic Diet Plan

A healthy and balanced diet is one of the key ingredients to managing diabetes. The food you consume has a direct effect on your blood sugar levels, so it’s important to only eat what you need. Overeating, or eating foods that are high in sugars or carbs, can lead to higher blood sugar.

That said, you can’t expect to succeed if your diet makes you miserable. The mistake many newly diagnosed diabetics make is trying to cut out all the “junk food” at once. You can still have the occasional treat, as long as it’s part of a balanced diet.

Consult with your doctor to create a food plan that works well for you. It should include lots of greens, fruits, and whole grains. Foods high in sugar and fat should be limited, but you can still indulge on occasion.

The trick to making your diet work is creating one that works for you.

2. Find Activities That Work for You

As expected, the next item on the list is exercise. Exercising and living an active life can help manage your diabetes. What most people don’t realize, is that there are many ways to be active.

Exercising doesn’t have to mean getting a gym membership or running countless miles. Any lifestyle change that causes you to move more can count as exercise.

So, rather than force yourself into an exercise routine that you dread, find one that works for you. Regular walks, virtual reality games, or playing with your kids can all be forms of exercise.

The key is to get yourself moving more, but it’s up to you how you do it.

3. Build a Relationship With Your Doctor

Part of life as a diabetic is doctor visits. You need to work closely

with your healthcare provider to ensure you’re on the right track. That means you need to find a doctor you trust and can build a relationship with.

Look for a doctor who listens to you, understands your needs, and doesn’t make you feel judged. Your doctor should always want to hear your opinions and have you play an active role in your healthcare.

Because you’ll be seeing this person a lot, it’s worth taking the time to shop around. Search for someone who makes you feel at ease and in control of your health.

If you encounter a doctor who doesn’t listen to your needs and concerns, move on. That type of doctor-patient relationship leads to less communication, which won’t benefit you.

Look for recommendations for doctors in your area that others have had success with. A history of excellent patient care should be a top priority. Having a doctor you feel you can be honest with is crucial, so don’t stop looking until you find one that works.

4. Eliminate Toxins

Next to diet and exercise, eliminating toxins is the next big step in managing your health. Diabetes makes you prone to other health conditions, such as heart, eye, and kidney disease. The last thing your body needs on top of that is other negative health factors.

Eliminating toxins like alcohol and tobacco can lower your risk of developing illnesses. It can also make it easier for you to stick to an exercise routine.

You can talk to your doctor about how to go about quitting in the least stressful way. Creating a plan of action can help lower the toll the process takes on your body and make it easier to be successful.

5. Be Mindful of Your Mental Health

Most of the discussion around diabetes maintenance surrounds your physical health. While that’s understandable, it isn’t the only factor. Your mental health can also impact your diabetes.

When stress levels rise so do blood sugar levels. Stress also contributes to poor decisions about food and exercise. If left unchecked, this can cause major issues surrounding your diabetes.

Search for ways to relieve your stress and anxiety and maintain balance in your life. You can take up yoga, learn about deep breathing, or even take a kickboxing class. There are countless options, so try some out and see what works for you.

6. Seek Medical Treatment That Works for You

Diabetes is treated in a variety of ways. Diet, exercise, and medication are all important components of treatment. In order for them to be effective, you need an accurate reading of your glucose levels.

The good news is, the technology used to monitor those levels is better than ever. For example, Dexcom G6 is a monitoring system that doesn’t use finger pricks.

You use an auto-applicator to insert a sensor below the skin and then you can check updates on your phone. This gives you access to continuous data and allows you to be discreet when checking your levels. You’ll only need to insert a new sensor every ten days.

The system will even alert you if your levels get too low. Technology like this was unthinkable a few years ago, but now it’s making it easier than ever to live a normal life.

If you think the system could be right for you, ask your doctor for more information. They can write a prescription, and help you navigate your insurance options. The Dexcom G6 cost is covered by many insurance companies, so it’s worth looking into.

Final Thoughts

Living with diabetes can be challenging, but simple steps like these can make it easier. There’s no reason you can’t have a high quality of life while living with diabetes.