Diabetes management is an ongoing process. Medications are available to help control blood sugar levels, however, taking medications alone is not enough to prevent blood glucose from reaching dangerously high levels nor to avoid diabetes complications which can lead to disabling conditions such as blindness and leg amputation or even to premature death. For that reason every diabetic must follow a diabetic diet, be adequately physically active, monitor blood glucose and take medications/insulin as directed.

Although healthy eating plan is the key to successful diabetes management, a diabetic diet in the true meaning of the word actually does not exist. A diabetic diet is in reality a healthy eating plan which is a healthy choice for most people. However, it is also true that diabetics must strictly follow an eating plan which enables them to stay within the recommended daily carbohydrate and calorie intake, and choose diabetic treats over the “real thing” to satisfy their sweet tooth. Carbohydrates have the greatest impact on blood sugar levels because they are broken down into glucose which means that they directly raise blood sugar levels. Not all carbohydrates are bad for diabetics but in general, it is a better idea to stick to low carb diabetic recipes which are high in nutritional value and low in calorie content at the same time. It is important to be aware that low carb diabetic recipes are not automatically also healthy. In most cases they are a good choice but it is necessary to pay attention to their nutritional and calorie content too when trying out new recipes.

Vitamins, minerals, fibres, essential fatty acids and other key nutrients are not only important for diabetes management but for overall health as well. Calories are needed too but in excess amounts, the body begins to store the excess calories in the form of fat which directly interferes with diabetes management. Diabetic research has shown that excess body fat affects the way the body uses blood glucose which means that overweight makes diabetes management harder. As a result, loss of excess body fat and healthy body weight maintenance are an important part of diabetes management as well. But neither of both can be achieved through dietary changes alone. Eating a diet high in calorie content is the main contributor to overweight but excess body weight is always caused by a combination of unhealthy diet and inadequate physical activity. For that reason diabetes management always includes regular exercise.

Just about any type of exercise is a good choice to achieve both your weight and health goals but it is a good idea to choose a type of exercise you actually enjoy. Some types of exercises enable you to burn more calories than the others which means that they help you reach a healthy body weight in a shorter period of time. How soon a healthy body weight is reached is not unimportant because the diabetic research reveals that loss of excess body weight dramatically improves blood sugar control. But there is one catch. It is necessary to prevent those lost pound from returning which is a lifelong process because as soon as you give up exercise, all lost pounds will gradually return even if you stick to diabetic diet. And if you choose a type of exercise which you do not particularly enjoy, you are more likely to quit someday. For that reason you are highly recommended to choose exercise you actually enjoy even if you burn less calories because it will help you to control both your weight and blood sugar levels in the long run.

Generally, there are no restrictions for diabetics when it comes to exercise but there a few things that should be paid attention to in the selection of exercise. People who have not been physically active for a longer period of time should always consult with their doctor before starting exercise, especially if being diagnosed with diabetes. Sudden, vigorous activity can cause blood sugar levels drop too low if you take medications for blood sugar control or/and insulin. This condition, known as hypoglycaemia can be very dangerous and can lead to coma or even death if left untreated. Diabetics who have diabetic foot disease (peripheral neuropathy), on the other hand, should avoid types of exercises which involve stress to the feet because diabetic foot disease is associated with increased risk of injury and potentially serious infection which may require leg amputation in the severest cases.

Daily monitoring of blood glucose levels is just as important as regular exercise and healthy eating plan. It does not have any effect on diabetes directly, however, keeping track of your blood sugar levels gives you and your doctor an insight into efficiency of your diabetes management plan and to determine if and which adjustments are necessary. People who suffer from type 2 diabetes should measure their blood sugar levels at least once per day, while type 1 diabetes patients should check their blood glucose at least three times per day. To measure your blood sugar levels, you will need a glucose meter, diabetic test strips and lancets.

If diabetes (type 2) is detected in its early stage, it is sometimes possible to control blood sugar levels with lifestyle changes alone. However, diabetes management often requires medications which help keep blood glucose within a normal range, while type 1 diabetes patients cannot manage their condition without insulin therapy because their pancreas produces little or no insulin. They too have to follow a diabetic diet, be adequately physically active and maintain a healthy body weight but this is not enough to prevent blood glucose from reaching dangerously high levels. In fact, they need insulin therapy to survive. To deliver insulin into the body, various diabetic insulin supplies are needed which besides the insulin itself include needles and syringes, an insulin pen or an insulin pump. But the basic type 1 diabetes management equipment also includes a glucose meter, diabetic test strips and lancets because blood glucose monitoring is just as important for type 1 diabetes patients as for people who have type 2 diabetes, if not even more so.