Treatment of type 2 diabetes Plan to tame diabetes

You are what you eat

To keep diabetes under control, eating right is very important. At a minimum, your food affects your blood sugar levels. As a maximum, a properly selected diet will significantly reduce the risk of serious complications. Don't be alarmed, you don't have to give up all your favorite foods and consume only water and sunlight. But, you will need to change some eating habits a little.

• Control your portion sizes . If you're overweight, losing 5 to 10 percent of your body weight will lower your blood sugar, says DiabetesCare magazine. Losing weight will also reduce your chances of developing cardiovascular disease, a very common complication of type 2 diabetes. To help you achieve and maintain your ideal weight, your doctor will suggest controlling your portion sizes. Regardless of your body weight, eating habits and medical history, he will tell you how to reduce the number of calories without harming your body.
• Choose nutrient-rich foods . Nutrients are vitamins and minerals that help your body function properly. There are a huge number of foods that are rich in nutrients and not too high in calories:

1. Fruits and vegetables.
2. Legumes.
3. Brown rice and whole wheat bread.
4. Nuts.
5. Lean meats such as chicken or turkey.
6. Fish and eggs.
7. Low-fat dairy products, such as unsweetened yogurt.

• Give preference to foods rich in healthy fats . According to the American Diabetes Association, the types of fats you eat are more important than the amount. To reduce the risk of heart disease, the association recommends eating foods rich in fats that are healthy for the heart and blood vessels:

1. Avocado;
2. Nuts;
3. Sunflower and pumpkin seeds;
4. Fatty fish such as tuna, salmon, sardines or mackerel;
5. Soybean products such as tofu;
6. Olive and sunflower oil.

Avoid saturated and trans fats:

1. Fatty meats such as sausages, bacon and ground beef
2. Fatty dairy products - cream, milk, full-fat cottage cheese and butter
3. Fried poultry skin
4. Salo
5. Palm oil
6. Chips and similar snacks
7. Margarine.

Consult a nutritionist. Each person is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all diet for all people with type 2 diabetes. The basic principles that we have talked about are important for all people diagnosed to follow, but they can and should be adjusted based on your age, lifestyle and medical history. 1

Running from complications

When you lead an active lifestyle, your cells become more sensitive to insulin so it works more effectively. Losing excess weight will be very beneficial for your heart, even for the lost 4-7 kg it will thank you. 2 Thanks to sports, you feel better and look better. Choose any activity that you like: you can walk in the park every evening, do exercises at home, go to the gym or to the pool. Don't overwork yourself; 30 minutes of daily exercise will be enough. To make it easier to start, we recommend inviting a friend for company - it’s more fun together. It doesn't matter what your physical fitness is. If you've never been to the gym, there's no reason to be ashamed. We all started something from the very beginning at some point. The only thing is: you haven’t played sports for a long time - start little by little. A good option for beginners is slow walking. Bring your favorite music, your dog, or good company, and who knows, this activity might become your favorite part of your day. It is important not to exercise on an empty stomach or if you feel unwell. If you feel unwell, don’t force yourself, stay home. And measure your sugar!

Magic pill

Sometimes lifestyle changes are enough to control diabetes. If not, the doctor will prescribe medications. There are different groups of drugs. Each group has its own mechanism of action by which they influence the reduction of glucose levels in the blood of people with diabetes. If your body produces too little insulin, you may need insulin therapy . There are many types of insulin, they differ in the method of production, mechanism of action and price. The doctor will recommend the drug that is right for you. The doctor will also help you choose a syringe depending on your dose. In general, smaller syringes are simpler and easier to measure and inject the correct amount of insulin. If you are traveling outside of Ukraine, make sure you have enough syringes and medication 3 . Each of the drugs can have side effects. You and your doctor may not be able to find the perfect drug the first time. And that’s okay - the main thing is to continue searching. Treating type 2 diabetes is a very real thing. It is important to seek help in time and follow all the doctor’s instructions. And then the plan to tame diabetes will definitely work.