During the most recent Wiregrass Diabetes Support Group meeting, Lanora Medley RN, owner of Universa Diabetes – Education for Life, shared ideas of how to manage diabetes with a seven-question quiz called “Two Truths and a Lie.”
She cited the American Heart Association, who recommends 150 minutes of physical activity each week. She said, ‘Whatever activity you choose, it’s important to have good supportive shoes. Also, find something that you enjoy doing. Walking is a good exercise. Gardening is a wonderful activity. It’s important to get that activity into your day.’
The next thing to be careful about is monitoring for wellness risks which safe blood glucose testing. Medley commented, ‘There are three important lab tests for a patient with diabetes. Those are the A1c, blood pressure and cholesterol. It’s also important that you take your medications at the prescribed time and the proper dosage. If, for some reason, you forget to take your medications, do not double the dose the next time.’
However, if your wellbeing is affected by another illness or ailment, Medley’s quiz had advice for that too. She recommended that you check your blood sugar more often and continue to take prescribed medications. ‘You need to keep control and manage your diabetes,’ she explained. ‘If you have low blood sugar, you typically feel bad, weak, shaky, dizzy and irritable. Even non-diabetics can have episodes of low blood sugar. Orange juice or any kind of juice will help. Juices are really good to use. Even a half-can of a soft drink will help. Have something on hand that works.’
When it comes to your friend and family, Medley’s quiz provided guidelines for keeping good communication. She cautioned, ‘Don’t keep issues to yourself. Coping, that is what we’re doing here today. Support groups, support of others help us cope and manage diabetes. Have someone to talk to when you’re feeling sad.’ She added that ‘education is key to managing diabetes,’ for both you and your loved ones.
Finally, for obvious reasons your diet plays a major part in your diabetes management. Yet, though patients are often told to shy away from carbohydrates, Medley said, ‘Your body needs carbohydrates (breads, pastas, milk, fruit, etc.) to function.’ She added, ‘However, a low-fat diet reduces the risk of heart disease.’
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