Our Best Tips

50 things you can do RIGHT NOW to lose weight, reduce potential complications and feel better

The good news for people with diabetes is that there is a ton of helpful advice out there. The bad news is, there is a ton of helpful advice out there. How do you sort through it all and find the information that is truly useful and that you can put into effect right now?

We’re here to help. What follows are 50 of our top tips, broken up into the following sections: Food, Fitness, Coping, Complications, Medications and Monitoring.

Food

1. Set realistic weight-loss goals. The safest rate of weight loss is one-half pound to two pounds a week, so start slowly. For example, if you drink whole milk, switch first to two percent milk, then to one percent, then to skim.
2. Take the edge off your appetite. If you’re hungry when you arrive at a restaurant, it will be hard to resist the temptation to fill up on bread or appetizers. Have a small snack of crunchy vegetables, fresh fruit or unsalted nuts before you go.
3. Sip water. Sometimes thirst can masquerade as hunger. Drink a full glass of water, fat-free milk, unsweetened tea or a sugar-free drink to prevent overeating.
4. Limit portion sizes. Share large portions with a friend, or ask for a smaller (appetizer-size) serving instead of a full entrée.
5. Cut the fat. Limit fat to less than 30 percent of total calories, with an emphasis on getting most fat calories from polyunsaturated and monounsaturated sources, rather than saturated fats found in animal food sources and "junk" foods.
6. Get calcium. Calcium in dairy products appears to have a role in lowering blood pressure. Controlling your blood pressure is one of the best things you can do to avoid or prevent the progression of complications.
7. Get fiber. Fiber helps with glycemic control by slowing the rate at which the stomach and intestines empty, resulting in slower absorption of glucose and lower blood glucose levels after eating fiber.
8. Shake the salt. Use herbs, spices, lemon, lime, vinegar or salt-free seasoning blends to season your foods—at the table and in cooking.
9. Be smart about drinking. Limit alcohol to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men if your diabetes is well controlled—if not, don't drink. Choose lower-calorie light beers, dry wines or drinks mixed with diet soft drinks, tonic water or seltzer.
10. Eat super foods. Boost your nutrition and antioxidant protection by including these "super foods" in your diet regularly, including tomatoes, mangos, avocados, peanuts, spinach, garlic, yogurt, oats, salmon and olive oil.
11. Beware low-fat claims. Some "no-fat" or "low-fat" products contain as many calories as their original versions per serving; a handful can even have a few calories more. It's important to read the entire food label, not just the information on fat.

Fitness

12. Do exercise in disguise. Engage in small chunks of activity. For example, if you walk up and down the stairs for a total of 10 minutes each day, this is equivalent to spending 10 minutes on a stair machine.
13. Exercise at home. If going to the gym is inconvenient or too expensive, tune in to the growing number of cable exercise programs, or rent or buy exercise DVDs to work out in the comfort of your own home.
14. Pass the “talk test.” To realize benefits you should spend time at your target heart rate, and a simple way to gauge this the "talk test." If you are exercising at a level where your heart is beating fast but you are just able to hold a conversation, then you're exercising at a moderate level.
15. Use the buddy system. Exercise is more fun when you do it with someone else—and you're more likely to stick to it if you know your friend is waiting for you.
16. Keep a journal. Make a note of each workout—what you did, how much, how far or how long. It's encouraging to look back and see progress!
17. Put your best foot forward. It’s important to find the right activity if you've experienced a loss of protective sensation in your feet. Non-weight-bearing sports include swimming, bicycling, rowing, chair exercises and arm exercises.
18. The eyes have it. Regular physical activity is much more likely to protect your eyes than to cause damage. Safe choices include walking, moderate swimming, low-impact water aerobics or deep-water jogging, or bicycling on a fairly flat surface.
19. Exercise early. If you find work or family obligations often preempt your exercise time, exercise first thing in the morning so it won’t get pushed aside by the events of the day.

Coping

20. Get support. Enlist your medical team, friends, family and other people with diabetes to help you achieve your goals. A support group can provide encouragement, serve as coaches, cheerleaders or confidantes.
21. Keep control. Studies have shown that people with diabetes who enjoy good blood glucose control have fewer stress symptoms, a perception that they are in better health, and a feeling that they can think and learn more easily.
22. Breathe! Practice mindful breathing: Sit quietly for 10-15 minutes. Breathe from the center of your body, in and out, and relax a different muscle with each breath until you feel completely relaxed and have reduced stress.
23. Pay attention to sexual problems. Don’t assume that loss of interest in sex is just a normal part of getting older. If you find you have lost interest in sex and wish to regain it, talk with your health care provider about medications and counseling.
24. Get the help you need. You may be clinically depressed if your symptoms are serious enough to interfere with your life, last for at least two weeks and are present almost all the time. Talk with your health care provider as soon as possible to seek the help you need and deserve.
25. Do your part. If you receive depression treatment, you have to do your part. Stick to your counseling, including completing homework (such as keeping a journal).
26. Give medications time to work. It often takes six weeks or more to feel the full benefits of anti-depressant medications.

Complications

27. Be heart smart. Heart disease is the most deadly complication of diabetes. Keeping your blood glucose, blood pressure and blood fat (cholesterol) levels as close to normal as possible can help keep your blood vessels healthy and protect your heart.
28. Keep tabs on your kidneys. Once a year you should get a lab measurement of protein in your urine (albumin), called a microalbuminuria test. Excess protein in your urine is an early marker for kidney damage.
29. Ensure your feet last a lifetime. Check your feet every day for signs of infection and get care immediately if you notice any symptoms. Use a moisturizer to prevent your skin from cracking and causing small cuts that could get infected.
30. Take care of your skin. People with diabetes are more prone to skin problems, including dryness, itchiness and sores or infections. Keep your skin clean, and use mild soaps and lotions.
31. Prevent retinopathy. Prevent or minimize vision problems by keeping your blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible, getting an annual dilated eye exam and calling your health care provider immediately if you have any changes in your vision.
32. Watch for erectile dysfunction. The inability to sustain an erection sufficient for intercourse is a common complication of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Smoking and excessive alcohol use increases your risk—so eliminating them may help.
33. Be alert for lesser-known complications. They can be just as serious as more common ones. Report any unusual symptoms to your doctor. They could be a sign of a diabetes complication or an unrelated condition requiring prompt attention.
34. Get annual preventive checks. Make sure your doctor visits include preventive checks for foot problems, an annual eye exam, and visits to the lab for blood draws.

Medications

35. Know your medications. Keep careful track of your medications to help adhere to a schedule and enable your doctor to keep you safe from possible drug interactions. Keep an up-to-date list of your drugs and dosages or simply show your doctor the drugs you take.
36. Tell your doctor about new drugs. Check with your doctor before you begin taking any new drug, including herbal remedies or over-the-counter pain medications, to avoid potentially dangerous drug interactions.
37. Simplify your meds. If your drug regimen feels unmanageable, ask your doctor how you can simplify it. Your doctor may be able to prescribe combination medications or once-a-day dosages to reduce the number of pills you take.
38. Use a pillbox. Get a pillbox with separate compartments for the week or month. Fill it every week on the same day of the week. If the area for Tuesday is empty, you’ll know you’ve already taken your medications for that day.
39. Explore insulin-delivery options. Insulin pens are convenient, very accurate and inconspicuous and allow you to inject right through your clothes if your clothes are clean. Insulin pumps deliver insulin through an "infusion set." Talk with your doctor and do some research to decide if either option is right for you.
40. Get trained on the pump. Most people who are new to the pump start with at least a three- or four-hour session with a Certified Pump Trainer. Pumps are not hard to operate, but you need to know what you're doing and what to do if the pump malfunctions.
41. Keep a backup. Don't throw away your syringe or insulin pen when you go on the pump. Keep them handy as a backup.
42. Pack extra supplies. When traveling, bring double the amount of insulin and syringes you expect to need. Make sure you buy compatible syringes to avoid taking too much or too little insulin.

Monitoring

43. Monitor your blood glucose. If you want to know whether food, medication, physical activity or relaxation can help improve your mood (by improving your blood glucose level), try monitoring your blood glucose.
44. Test, don't guess. Most people overestimate or underestimate their blood glucose levels. Work with your health care provider to establish a testing schedule that's right for you.
45. Keep a logbook. Take your record of glucose readings to every appointment with your doctor or diabetes educator. Use the information to make adjustments in your insulin, diet or medication.
46. Know the symptoms of hypoglycemia. They include hunger, nervousness, dizziness, sleepiness, tingling around the mouth, slurred speech, confusion, sweating or feeling weak. Severe episodes can cause unconsciousness. Hypoglycemia can occur at any time, even at night, often within a few hours of drinking alcohol, exercising or skipping a meal.
47. Prepare for lab tests. Communicate with the lab technicians or nurses about your diabetes so that you can ensure your glucose levels are kept under control. Monitor blood glucose around fasting periods. Carry a glucose source to the testing facility.
48. Use the A1C test. Think of the A1C as a semester test—telling you how you’ve been performing overall. A self-test with a meter, on the other hand, is more like a pop quiz, testing you on your performance right now.
49. Make sure the meter and strips are working properly. Calibrate or code your meter according to its instructions, use control solution to check that the meter and the test strips are working together as a system. Observe the expiration and discard dates on the control solution.
50. Minimize pain during testing. Use a fresh lancet, test on the sides of your fingertips and rotate fingers. Some meters now have lancing devices that can be used on other sites, such as the palm, forearm, thigh or calf.