Managing your diabetes, preventing complications, and keeping your blood sugar in a healthy range all require regular maintenance. These simple steps and screenings can help you with your everyday diabetes management.
Steps for Maintaining Your Blood Sugar
- Get your blood pressure under control
- Check your blood sugar as often as your doctor recommends
- Take your diabetic medications as prescribed
- Get enough exercise
- Eat a variety of healthy foods
- Limit your intake of saturated fat, cholesterol, and added sugars
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Quit smoking
- Visit your doctor regularly
- Talk with your doctor about taking a statin medication to decrease the risk of heart disease.
- Ask your doctor if you should be taking aspirin daily to help prevent stroke and heart disease.
Recommended Screenings
- Have your A1C tested 2 to 4 times per year, with the goal of getting your A1C level below 7.
- Get an annual eye exam to check for retinopathy, or changes in the blood vessels in the eye. Retinal damage can occur without any symptoms.
- Have your kidney function checked yearly with a urine test. Diabetes can cause kidney problems and even kidney failure.
- Have your doctor perform a foot exam each year to monitor the feeling and circulation in your feet. Diabetes can damage the nerves in your feet, which is called neuropathy.
Learn more about managing your diabetes with our helpful diabetes resources.
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