earning that you have a
lifelong disease is never
welcome news. Tat
discovery can be espe-
cially distressing if your doctor has
just told you that you have Type 2
diabetes.
Diabetes, afer all, afects almost
every part of your body. It can
damage your eyes, nerves, kidneys,
feet and gums. It also makes you es-
pecially vulnerable to a heart attack
or stroke.
Still, take a deep breath if you’re
newly diagnosed. Good blood
sugar control and other safeguards
can help you stay healthy. More-
over, diabetes doesn’t need to defne
you. You are much more than your
disease.
What follows are the basic ingre-
dients for a successful and satisfy-
ing life with the disease. Ask your
doctor any questions you have. He
or she will be your best source of
guidance.
First things frst
Perhaps the frst thing you need
to know about diabetes is its rela-
tion to blood sugar (glucose). Hav-
ing diabetes means that your blood
sugar is too high. Having Type 2
diabetes, in particular, means that
your body doesn’t use insulin—
the hormone that regulates blood
sugar—efectively. Either your body
doesn’t make enough insulin, has
trouble using it or both.
A fundamental part of avoid-
ing complications is keeping your
blood sugar in a healthy range. You
might be able to do this with diet
and exercise alone. But if lifestyle
changes don’t bring your blood
sugar down to a safe level, you may
need to take medications, such as
diabetes pills and insulin shots.
How will you know if your
treatments are working?
One way is to have an A1C test
at least twice a year. Tis lab test
reveals your average blood sugar
for the past two to three months. If
your number is 7 percent or higher,
you may need to change your dia-
betes care plan.
You might also need to test your
blood sugar several times a day
with a blood glucose meter. Most
meters work by analyzing a drop of
your blood. Your blood sugar level
then shows up on a screen. Your
doctor will help you learn how to
use your results to make decisions
about your diet, physical activity
and any diabetes medications you
take.
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