Caring For Yourself

When you have diabetes, it is very important that you learn to care for yourself to control the amount of sugar in your blood. Keeping the amount of sugar in your blood as normal as possible is the best way to stay healthy. Because diabetes is a chronic condition, caring for yourself is every bit as important as the treatment you receive from your doctor and healthcare team. Ultimately, it is you who determines the state of your health.

Taking responsibility for it involves many choices, including what you eat and how frequently you exercise. It also involves testing your blood sugar to make sure your blood glucose stays within acceptable levels, an important factor in reducing your risk of serious diabetes-related complications.

Research indicates you may need to check your blood sugar more often than you think. Frequent testing combined with proper diet, exercise, and diabetes medications can help lower HbA1c (blood sugar) levels. Lower blood sugar levels can improve diabetes control and reduce your risk of diabetes-related complications. The better you care for yourself, the easier it will be to live day-to-day with diabetes.