7 lifestyle changes to help manage Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a serious disease, and there’s a big payoff when you become proactive about managing it. Here are seven lifestyle changes that could help you manage your diabetes.

• Anyone can swallow pills, but it takes real willpower to change long-established patterns of poor eating.
• A dietitian with training in diabetic meal planning can help you formulate a program well suited to your needs.
• Sadly, more than half of all people with diabetes abandon their diet therapy. In the process, they risk serious problems down the line.

• All diabetes diets boil down to healthy eating, with calorie restrictions as needed.
• Start getting 50 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrates, 30 percent from fats and 20 percent from protein.
• Such an eating plan also reduces your chances of developing heart disease and cancer.
• For most people, the real challenge is usually portion control.

• If you're overweight, losing just 10 percent of your body weight can slow the progression of diabetes.
• If weight is an issue for you, consider a support group, and ask your doctor about one of the new drugs for weight control.

• Regular exercise, when combined with calorie restriction, will definitely speed your weight loss.
• When you have diabetes, exercise has an added benefit: it increases your cells' sensitivity to insulin, letting them use glucose more efficiently.
• Exercising as little as 30 minutes three times a week can help. Engaging in something vigorous every day is best.
• Choose aerobic activities, like bicycling, swimming or walking, as opposed to resis­tance exercises, like weight lifting.

The double damage inflicted on your circulation by diabetes and smoking can eventually result in the amputation of your toes or feet.

• Concentrated sweets are extremely caloric and can easily use up your allotment of carbohydrates (and fats) for that day.
• If you simply must have a sweet , deduct its carbohydrate and fat amounts from your next meal. You could be surprised to find your portions have been reduced by a third.
• Choose low-fat sweets, such as fig bars or graham crackers, instead of ice cream.

With Type 2 diabetes, lifestyle changes can be very effective.  It’s important to see your doctor regularly and to develop a health-care team to answer questions and help you implement an overall plan.