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jenny

If you are new to diabetes or a seasoned person with diabetes (PWD), you know that it can be hard to manage on a day to day basis. What we need are the basic tools, tips, steps to improve things – ways to make it less cumbersome to manage. 

Our team at Integrated Diabetes Services does a great job of helping people figure out what, how and why to adjust. We know that the decision about one device or product over another takes evaluation as well as experience. We do a great job because we have a diverse team, however, I’d be lying if I said, “We just know it all”. In fact, a big reason we know so much is because we have good connections in the diabetes community. We listen to the people we work with; we learn from them as well as the many resources online and from the top line diabetes bloggers, educators and product manufacturers.

Instead of flailing blindly in pursuit of better blood sugar management, I hope this list of simple steps and resources helps give a more tangible approach to your diabetes management goals. As always, we are here to help along the way and would be delighted to work together to help you reach your goals.

8 Simple Steps to Help With Your Diabetes Management Goals:

  1. Learn about the 3 pillars of Diabetes management – Insulin, Food and Activity.
  2. Understand insulin action – Regardless of the delivery method via injection or pump, learning how insulin works is SO IMPORTANT. Once you understand how the type of insulin you use works, things like food and activity will be easier to navigate.
  3. Learn about the impact of macronutrients – Carbs are not the end all, be all of diabetes management. Protein and Fat make a difference. Amount, mix of foods and type of food will make a difference.
  4. Move your body – Simple fact – activity/exercise/movement improves the action of insulin in the body.  Move and you require less insulin. Adjustment is dependent on duration, intensity and type of exercise.
  5. Establish a good care team – Simply stated, if your team for diabetes management is not spending time with you, answering questions and discussing what will make a difference for you ask around and find someone who will help you achieve your management goals.
  6. Use good products – Make sure to research and explore what your options are for products and write down what is needed for your personal life. You will be more likely to use the product to your advantage if it meets the majority of your needs while you live with it.
    Learn how to treat and decrease hypoglycemia – Roller coaster glucose levels often start with low BG. If you learn how much is needed and why you need more or less at times it will help keep things more like gentle rolling hills.
  7. Ask for help – We all need help from time to time when it comes to managing a chronic condition that requires 24-hour attention. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Speaking of asking for help, it is wonderful if you know where to look. The following resources are great places to look for answers to the many questions that come up around diabetes management.  This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to resources. There are many, many, many more, so please comment and add to the list so we can all learn and support each other.

My Go-To List of Diabetes Management Resources:

Back to June 2020 Newsletter