Being diagnosed with diabetes can feel daunting – you know that you have to take your health into your own hands and you can’t possibly see how things will turn out in the long run. You might feel intimidated, overwhelmed, and afraid, but there’s no need to panic. This is a journey that your doctor will walk with you every step of the way, and you’ll figure everything out quickly and easily. Here are a few things you should know going in.
The Symptoms
While diabetic patients often feel no symptoms at all, being aware of potential symptoms and what they feel like can help you to identify when your blood sugar levels need to be tested. Some common symptoms to look out for, if you have or haven’t been diagnosed with diabetes, are frequent urination, blurry vision, excessive hunger, fatigue and numbness or pain in the hands and feet. If you struggle severely with the latter, you could look into investing in diabetic foot accessories, and other symptoms can usually be managed with your diet.
You Need to Put in the Work
Making the effort to change up your lifestyle, as your doctor will most likely recommend, is an important step in managing your diabetes. Poor diet and an unhealthy lifestyle may not feel like they’re having an immediate impact on your health, but the long-term effects could be dangerous and you’ll want to take this into consideration for your overall physical health. Switching over to a healthier, low-carb diet, reducing sugars and paying close attention to portion control are important factors in maintaining your health over the years to come.
Adding some physical activity into your weekly schedule is another great step you can take to manage your diabetes. Exercise can lower your blood sugar levels and improve cholesterol levels too, amongst various other health benefits which can also have a direct impact on diabetic patients (like weight loss). Finding some activity that you really enjoy will help you take your health into your own hands, and even something as simple as a daily walk can be really beneficial.
Diabetes is Progressive
While lifestyle changes and medication can slow down the process, type 2 diabetes will almost inevitably progress as years go by, and managing glucose levels will become harder with time. This is why making changes as early on as possible is important – slowing down the process will make things easier on you for longer. Keep in mind that needing to change and increase your medication intake does not mean you are failing or that you’ve done something wrong – it’s just part of the management of the disease.
You’ll Need Support
Finding support from your partner, family, friends or a support group will be an important part of your journey. Having people around you who will encourage a healthier lifestyle and support you when things feel difficult will all contribute to your survival and conquering of both the mental and physical challenges you’ll be facing in the years to come.