Tag: food

In Your Mind

If you were planning on starting a business, you would expect both successes and failures; ups and downs if you will. And you’ll do better in business if you try to plan for the failures. Managing diabetes is no different, and has a lot to do with mental attitude. And mental attitude, of course, starts in your mind, or in your head.

So, applying this to your situation, don’t expect perfection in your A1c results or in your blood sugar levels. Some days, you will have higher levels than you should. Just plan on ways to get back on track as quickly as possible. It’s the positive attitude that’s important. A positive mindset can help you to reduce stress, improve your mood, boost your immune system, and lower the risk of heart disease.

A1cThink of yourself as a person with diabetes, not as a diabetic. View having diabetes the same way that you would view a sight defect. By and large, your eyesight can be corrected. Of course, you my have to wear glasses or contact lenses, but it is not going to define your life regardless of the fact that it is part of it. Think of diabetes in the same way. Taking your blood sugar level on a regular basis should be no more inconvenient than keeping your glasses clean. High A1c level? Work out a plan to get it lower again. After all, eating healthy should be the aim of everybody.

As a person with diabetes, you ought to have some goals, but they do need to be realistic. Try starting with realistic short-term goals that are specific, clear, andcartoon1short-term. For example, if you have only recently been diagnosed, taking your meds on time, and checking your blood sugar when you should, may be sufficient. If you know you need to lose weight, make a realistic goal of losing 5 pounds every month rather than a much more daunting like losing 60 pounds over the year. This cartoon from Randy Glasbergen sums it up pretty well.

Choose to fight. I love this quote attributed to Henry Ford: Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re right. You have not been handed a death sentence. I am reminded of some neighbors I once had. They were both smokers, and the husband had to have his foot amputated because of it. He was warned that if he did not significantly cut down on his smoking and start to exercise, he could lose his entire leg. His attitude was “I’d rather die than give up smoking.” If that’s your attitude about food and exercise, you do have a problem. But there is absolutely no reason, other than your own mental attitude, why you cannot live a healthy lifestyle and live to a ripe old age.

 

In Your Family

The more people you have who are aware of your diabetes, the better off you will be. For family1example, you are less likely to allow yourself to slide on the little things because you know that others will be watching. Nowhere is this more true than in the family, and you will want your spouse and children to be able to look up to you and rely on you to do what you say you will do. Especially, do not try to hide your diabetes. The fact is, managing your diabetes affects so many aspects of your life that you cannot go it alone. For example, you need to eat healthy foods, but you are not going to be able to do that without the cooperation of everybody who lives under your roof. And besides, the healthy lifestyle changes you need to make will benefit all of you. Try these tips:

  • Buy smaller amounts of less-healthy food. You may be tempted to ban junk food from your home altogether. Unless you are the one who does all of the household grocery shopping, though, you really don’t have much control over whether tempting foods come into your house. Besides, why should you punish other family members for your illness, or make them feel guilty? Much better is to seek the middle ground, such as buying tempting foods in smaller sizes, like a quart of ice cream instead of a gallon. That way, if you feel tempted to eat a bag of potato chips, you have some portion control.family2.jpg
  • Make your own run to the grocery store. Try going with your spouse, and make sure that the cart contains items you like that are also healthful and fit into your diabetes eating plan. That way, home-cooked meals are more likely to appeal to you. In turn, this will help you reach your goals for blood sugar and weight loss. It may also have the added bonus of encouraging the rest of the family to eat healthily.
  • Make sure family members recognize the symptoms of low blood sugar. This won’t be easy because you may not recognize them yourself. Blurred vision, mental confusion and sweating are common for hypoglycemia. Make sure they know how to take the necessary emergency measures. bear in mind that most people fail to recognize their own symptoms. In my case, I may claim to feel fine, but I lose concentration and become irritable. But a drink of orange juice or a glucose tablet will have me feeling right as rain in a matter of minutes.
  • Eat your evening meal as a family. There are huge benefits to eating meals as a family on a regular basis. I think you’ll be surprised at some of those listed if you follow the link. Bottom line, though, people tend to eat in a more nutritious way and the behavior of children is better overall. This, in turn, leads to less stress in the home and, best of all, fewer problems with your blood sugar control which can be affected by stress.
  • Work with your spouse to establish health goals. He or she has a vested interest in keeping you happy and healthy. If you plan together there is likely to be less tension between you – at least as regards your diabetes care.

Please note that the content presented here is for your information only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, and it should not be used to diagnose  or treat a health problem or disease.