Diabetes management (for patients)

1. Share your personal health history and family health history with your doctor to ensure appropriate testing.
2. Know your diabetes ABCs. Talk to your doctor about how to manage your A1C (blood sugar or glucose) and Blood pressure and Cholesterol to help lower your chances of having a stroke, heart attack or other diabetes problems.
3. Get healthy and active. Being overweight is a major risk factor in developing type 2 Roughly 30 percent of overweight people have the disease, and 85 percent of diabetics are overweight. A healthy meal plan can help improve your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol numbers. Exercising can also help control your blood glucose. Don’t smoke.
4. Get your eyes checked. Regular eye exams can help diagnose eye problems due to diabetes and eye doctors can treat many of these problems before there is damage which can cause blindness.
5. Look down at your feet. Diabetes can cause foot problems, including neuropathy (nerve damage), skin changes, poor circulation and ulcers. Alert your doctor to any redness, swelling or pain to avoid serious complications.
6. Don’t miss appointments with your doctor. Regular monitoring of your diabetes will help catch any changes or complications before things get serious. Make sure to be honest about any changes in your health so your doctor can advise you accordingly.

Being proactive can save your life so talk to your doctor today about managing your diabetes!

Do you have prediabetes? Click here for tips on lowering your diabetes risk.

This health alert is brought to you by The Physician Alliance, one of Michigan’s largest physician organizations dedicated to improving Michigan’s health.