How 7 People With Diabetes Manage Their Blood Sugar

If only there existed a simple set of rules for managing blood sugar when you have Type 2 diabetes—it would be the most-requested pamphlet in a doctor’s office. Instead, as many people find, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for the millions of Americans with the condition. It takes time and effort to discover what works best, and the right combination will differ for everyone. Determining what type of medication and which lifestyle factors will be most effective for managing blood sugar could take years. One way to speed up the discovery? Learn from others who are living with the condition. Here, seven people with diabetes share the most important insights they’ve gleaned about managing their blood sugar on a day-to-day basis. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] Pay close attention to food and medication effects When Agnes Czuchlewski, 68, was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes more than 20 years ago, her first thought was that she had to implement iron-clad restrictions on her eating and would never have a sugary treat again. That didn’t last long. “You can become obsessed with what you ‘should’ be doing, but that’s exhausting,” she says. “Instead, it’s much better to educate yourself about how your choices affect you. For example, have that candy bar, but look at what happens to your blood sugar—how much it goes up and how quickly—when you do. Then you can implement controls based ...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Disease healthscienceclimate Source Type: news