How to maintain normal blood glucose levels when you have diabetes

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Working towards normal blood glucose levels ensures high energy levels, faster healing, fewer infections and a lower risk of diabetes complications.

Being diagnosed with diabetes can be devastating, at least initially.

Then again, here is the flip side: being diagnosed is a life saver, as we are all familiar with the havoc diabetes can wreak inside our body—most of the time, silently.

For some, in spite of living a reasonably healthy life, it is quite the shock when genetics catches up. Of course, there’s ample advice about living a healthy lifestyle, exercising, getting enough sleep, and following a healthy diet; nevertheless, the life of a diabetic can sometimes feel lonely. The sympathetic looks and sometimes-judgmental remarks certainly don’t help.

The truth is, everyone is different when it comes to normal blood glucose levels and monitoring them. Managing the condition can be tricky. What works for one person may not always achieve the same result for the other. For instance, diabetics are advised to stay away from rice, a high-carbohydrate food, as it is known to cause spikes in blood sugar. This holds true for my uncle, but not for me. Similarly, I can get away with enjoying a slice of pizza, while he cannot.

This brings us to the question:

What is the best way to manage diabetes and work towards normal blood glucose levels?

It is overwhelming to juggle phrases like carbohydrate counting, portion size, and glycemic index. The information overload out there can sometimes be intimidating. There’s no one one-size-fits-all solution, but fortunately, there’s a set of goals every diabetic must work towards, to make sure she’s showing her diabetes who’s boss.

Here are some tips based on what works for me; I hope it helps you too.

The foundation of my diabetes management

The first thing I learned after my type 2 diabetes diagnosis is that knowledge is power. I had to identify what causes my blood sugar to spike or fall and how to control these factors.

Next came the ABCs of diabetes. This meant knowing my A1C levels, my blood pressure and my cholesterol and keeping them under control, as it would help me manage my diabetes.

Then, I had to create my diabetes lifestyle, which meant finding ways to stay stress-free, making sure I was active and exercised at least five days a week, ate healthy and got enough sleep.

Finally, I had to have a schedule in place to maintain my health. Diabetes is an active condition that requires conscious care. I am referring to periodic blood tests, dental check, eye exam, A1C test, cholesterol test, foot check and of course, weight check.

Making a plan

Working towards normal blood glucose levels is always top of the list, as it ensures adequate energy levels, faster healing, fewer infections and lowers the risk of the complications caused by diabetes.

Here is what helps me—and it all revolves around food, exercise, medication, sleep, and stress relief.

Read my post titled Maintaining Normal Blood Glucose Levels: My Experience With Diabetes to learn how I maintain normal blood glucose levels.

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