Managing Blood Glucose Levels with Diabetes 2

For those living with type 2 diabetes, managing blood glucose levels is critical to avoiding serious long-term complications that can result from unchecked hyperglycemia, including glaucoma, cataracts, skin infections, heart disease, hypertension, hearing loss, gum disease, nerve damage, kidney disease, peripheral artery disease, stroke, diabetic coma and ultimately, death.

The first step in managing blood glucose levels is to monitor them, and fortunately in this day and age there are numerous types of easy-to-use monitors available to help you with this.  Of utmost importance is to establish a regular routine for testing blood sugar in order to obtain the most accurate results and to better understand your blood sugar peak and valley patterns. Your doctor will recommend the number of times you should test daily and when.

Eating small, regular meals will help avoid dramatic spikes and drops in blood glucose and keep you on an even keel.  In between meals, snack on healthy, multi-grain carbs, nuts, vegetables and fresh fruit.  Keeping plenty of healthy snacks around the house, in the office and in your carry-on when traveling will help you to avoid making poor choices during bouts of sudden hunger.

Super Foods Missing from Many American Diets

Nutrition is key to managing blood glucose levels, and a healthy diabetes diet is not altogether different from a healthy diet recommended for a non-diabetic.  Ideally, fresh vegetables should constitute approximately half of each meal, with the other half being divided between lean protein such as fish or skinless chicken, and a healthy starch like brown rice, sweet potatoes or beans.  So called “super foods” for diabetics are similar to those prescribed for the rest of the population, and include such things as dark green vegetables, sweet potatoes, citrus, berries, tomatoes, fish high in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, nuts, whole grains, fat-free milk and fat-free yogurt. Regular consumption of these super foods guarantees a healthy intake of valuable nutrients, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants that are often lacking in typical American diets.

Eating freshly prepared foods is an effective way to ensure your meal is not loaded with trans-fats, hidden sugars, sodium and cholesterol. When eating pre-packaged foods, it is critical to read the label thoroughly to understand exactly what you are consuming and how much.   The American Diabetes Association provides a comprehensive guide to reading and interpreting labels on their website at www.diabetes.org/foodandfitness. 

Regular exercise is important to maintain a healthy weight, cardiovascular health and bone density, but can cause fluctuations in blood glucose due to the increased utilization of sugars and carbohydrates. Accordingly, it’s a good idea to eat a small meal or snack before and after a workout in order to maintain blood sugar at healthy levels.  Low blood glucose levels can cause sleepiness, dizziness and disorientation, so it’s important to wear some form of I.D. identifying you as a diabetic to ensure you get proper assistance should you become disabled or disoriented after exercise, or at any other time during the day.

Type 2 diabetes is a serious illness that cannot be ignored, but managing it successfully can be fairly effortless once you get the hang of it. Twenty-first century technology makes monitoring blood glucose levels easy, discreet and manageable for most individuals, requiring just a small amount of discipline, dedication and regularity.  A healthy diet and exercise regimen, which is absolutely key to maintaining blood glucose levels and preventing diabetic complications, will provide a myriad of healthy benefits above and beyond managing type 2 diabetes.  Looking on the bright side, your diagnosis of type 2 diabetes could very well provide the impetus for you to achieve a level of health and wellness that will actually cause you to live a longer, fuller life!

Valerie Johnston is a health and fitness writer located in East Texas. With ambitions of one day running a marathon, writing for Healthline.com ensures she keeps up-to-date on all of the latest health and fitness news.