Diabetes is a serious disease. It affects almost every part of
your body. That is why a health care team may help you
take care of your diabetes:
n doctor n dentist
n diabetes educator n dietitian
n eye doctor n foot doctor
n mental health counselor n nurse
n nurse practitioner n pharmacist
n social worker n friends and family
You are the most important member of the team.
Step 1:
Learn about diabetes.
Diabetes means that your blood glucose (blood sugar) is
too high. These are the 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 (jes-TAY-shon-al)
diabetes — may occur when a
woman is pregnant. It 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.
Diabetes is serious.
You may have heard people say they have “a touch of diabetes”
or that their “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:
n heart attack and stroke
n eye problems that can
lead to trouble seeing or
going blind
n nerve damage that can
cause your hands and feet
to hurt, tingle, or feel numb.
Some people may even lose
a foot or a leg
n kidney problems that
can cause your kidneys to stop working
n gum disease and loss
of teeth
When your blood glucose is close to normal you are likely to:
n have more energy
n be less tired and thirsty and urinate less often
n heal better and have fewer skin or bladder infections
n have fewer problems with your eyesight, feet, and gums
Step 2:
Know your diabetes ABCs.
Talk to you health care team about how to manage your A1C,
Blood pressure, and Cholesterol. This can help lower your
chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or other diabetes
problems. Here’s what the ABCs of diabetes stand for:
A for the A1C test (A-one-C).
It shows you what your blood glucose
has been over the last three months.
The A1C goal for most people is below 7.
High blood glucose levels can harm
your heart and blood vessels, kidneys,
feet, and eyes.
B for Blood pressure.
The goal for most people with
diabetes is below 130/80.
High blood pressure makes your heart
work too hard. It can cause heart
attack, stroke, and kidney disease.
C for Cholesterol (ko-LES-ter-ol).
The LDL goal for most people is below 100.
The HDL goal for most people is above 40.
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. Use this self-care plan.
n Use your diabetes meal plan. If you do not have
one, ask your health care team for one.
— Eat healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables,
— ish, lean meats, chicken or turkey without the
— skin, dry peas or beans, whole grains, and low-fat
— or skim milk and cheese.
— — Keep ish and lean meat and poultry portions
— 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 iber such as whole-grain
— cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta.
— n Get 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity on most
— days of the week. Brisk walking is a great way to move
— more.
— n Stay at a healthy weight by using your meal plan
— and moving more.
— n Ask for help if you feel down. A mental health
— counselor, support group, member of the clergy, friend,
— or family member who will listen to your concerns
— may help you feel better.
— n Learn to cope with stress. Stress can raise your
— blood glucose. While it is hard to remove stress from
— your life, you can learn to handle it.
— n Stop smoking. Ask for help to quit.
— n 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.
n Brush your teeth and loss every day to avoid
problems with your mouth, teeth, or gums.
n Check your blood glucose. 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.
n Check your blood pressure if your doctor advises.
Report any changes in your eyesight to your doctor.
Step 4:
Get routine care.
See your health care team at least twice a year to ind
and treat any problems early. Ask what steps you can
take to reach your goals.
At each visit be sure you have a:
n blood pressure check
n foot check
n weight check
n review of your self-care plan shown in Step 3
Two times each year have an:
n A1C test – it may be checked more often if it is over 7
Once each year be sure you have a:
n cholesterol test
n triglyceride (try-GLISS-er-ide) test — a type of blood fat
n complete foot exam
n dental exam to check teeth and gums — tell your dentist
you have diabetes
n dilated eye exam to check for eye problems
n lu shot
n urine and a blood test to check for kidney problems
At least once get a:
n pneumonia (nu-mo-nya) shot
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق