Coping

By Debra Manzella, R.N., About.com Guide to Diabetes

Diabetes affects over 21 million people in United States today. It is a unique disease because people diagnosed with it must be responsible for the majority of their own care. There are a lot of areas to cover. Insulin, medication, blood glucose monitoring, diet, and exercise are all important parts of diabetes management that must be incorporated into your lifestyle. It might seem overwhelming when first starting out, but it can become easier over time.

1. Blood Glucose Monitoring
2. Exercise
3. Weight Management
4. Living with Diabetes

Blood Glucose Monitoring

Monitoring blood glucose levels is an extremely important part of diabetes management. Keeping track of your numbers tells you how much insulin or medication you need, and it also tells you if you are eating the right number of carbohydrates. But most importantly, blood glucose monitoring lets you know if your levels are too high or too low. It's the best way to gauge how well your blood glucose is being controlled. The better the control, the less risk of complications.

• Recommended Blood Glucose Levels
• How To Use A Glucometer

Exercise

Exercise is an important way to manage diabetes. Not only can physical activity help you achieve beneficial weight loss, but it can lower your blood sugar and help your cells accept insulin more efficiently.

• Exercising with Diabetes
• When Exercise Hurts

Weight Management

When you have diabetes, excess weight can make your condition more difficult to control. Fat cells are more resistant to insulin than lean muscle cells, so having too much body fat makes it that much harder to use the insulin that your body makes. Maintaining a healthy weight is key to managing your diabetes.

• Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
• Diet and Exercise Lowers Risk of Type 2 in Pre-diabetes
• Obesity in Children and Type 2 Diabetes

Living with Diabetes

Having diabetes is like being in charge of a many-armed octopus. There isn't just one way of coping with the disease because it needs to be managed on a lot of different levels. At first, it might seem like an overwhelming amount of information is thrown at you. But it is possible to not only live with diabetes, but live well.

• How to Cope with a Diabetes Diagnosis
• Real Life with Diabetes - How do Others Cope?