should be a positive part of creating and maintaining health, and it should be something to enjoy and savor too! Chapter 13 provides pointers for choosing the foods that promote health and wellness: colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, lean proteins, fish, vegetarian protein alternatives, heart-healthy fats, and dairy foods (or nondairy substitutes).
If you have celiac disease or gluten intolerance, it’s time to go gluten-free all the way. Chapter 18 provides details.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. Celiac disease inflicts intestinal damage if gluten-containing foods are consumed. The treatment is strict, lifelong avoidance of all sources of gluten, no matter how minute. Exposure to even a crumb can damage the linings of the intestine, impair nutrient absorption, and cause numerous diseases related to vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
People with type 1 diabetes have an increased risk of celiac disease because both diseases are autoimmune disorders. Whether you’re avoiding gluten because of celiac disease, wheat allergy, gluten sensitivity, or preference, Chapter 18 provides the information you need to get started.
Staying fit with exercise
Exercise has long been recognized as a foundation therapy in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. If you have prediabetes, exercise coupled with moderate weight loss has been shown to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Everyone can cash in on multiple health benefits related to physical fitness. Exercise helps with weight control, improves blood pressure and cholesterol, strengthens bones and improves circulation, relieves stress, and improves sleep. No one comes back from an exercise session saying, “I wish I hadn’t done that!” On the contrary, most people feel better and actually think, “I’m so glad I did that! I’ll have to do that more often!”
Taking your medication
Insulin isn’t just for treating type 1 diabetes; many people with type 2 diabetes use insulin to manage their diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a state of insulin resistance and oftentimes a concurrent deficiency in insulin production. When diet and exercise fail to adequately control glucose levels, medications are required. There are several classes of diabetes medications. Some stimulate insulin production, while others improve the way insulin works. Medications can decrease the amount of glucose released by the liver, increase the amount of glucose excreted in the urine, or delay the digestion of glucose. Whether it takes one medication or multiple medications, the goal is blood-glucose control because that’s how you prevent complications.
Some people struggle with medication adherence. It may be due to the number of medications prescribed or the dosing schedule. Pill caddies that separate morning and evening doses assist with remembering meds. Another reason for missing meds is simply a lack of perceived benefit. Many people with diabetes feel fine. Feeling good is important, but knowing your ABCs is important. That means know your A1C, Blood pressure, and Cholesterol results. Those numbers are a window into what is happening in your body.
Monitoring your blood-glucose levels
Home blood-glucose monitors are amazing little machines. Apply a tiny droplet of blood, and within five seconds, you know the result. Glucose meters have been available for home use only since the 1980s. In the scope of things, that’s a relatively short period of time. Prior to glucose monitoring, people with diabetes checked their urine glucose levels, which was a grossly inaccurate way to attempt to evaluate blood-glucose levels. Back in the diabetes “dark ages,” people didn’t have the tools and technologies to safely manage diabetes, so some people developed complications.
Chapter 23 provides tips on glucose monitoring and takes a look at another glucose measurement, A1C, which provides information on your average glucose control for the previous three-month period.
Managing stress
Most people encounter stressful situations from time to time. Finding healthy ways to cope with stress before small problems fester, grow, and get out of hand is important. If stress goes unchecked, it can contribute to anxiety, low mood, a feeling of hopelessness, or depression. Chronic conditions such as diabetes can contribute to stress and may have an additive effect to life’s other challenges. Talking about it helps. Confide in friends, family, support groups, and your diabetes healthcare team.
Physical activity is a wonderful outlet. Exercise increases natural chemicals that improve mood. Hobbies, arts, crafts, volunteer work, and faith-based gatherings are other positive ways to relieve pressure and boost mood. When you’re feeling blue, think about some of your favorite people and your best memories. Keep the self-talk in your head positive. Don’t focus on your shortcomings; recount your successes instead.
