Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, amputations, and kidney failure. This is not a disease that should be taken lightly. The best way to deal with diabetes is to not get it by living a healthy lifestyle. However, if you already have it, there are steps that you can take to get it under control.
Uncontrolled diabetes can have life-threatening complications. It really doesn't have to reach this stage because this is a disease that can be managed effectively. The rules are simple, but often, you'll discover that they're not easy to adapt.
In this article, we're going to shoot straight from the hip and "keep things real" because the hard truth will save you from much pain later on. Sugarcoating things is not a good idea where diabetes is involved. Painful pun fully intended.
1
Sacrificing Taste For Health
The most important thing that you'll need to do is switch to a clean diet. Depending on the severity of your condition, you'll need to make changes accordingly. If your diabetes is not too bad, you can gradually wean yourself off sugar and other unhealthy foods; however, if your diabetes is at a dangerous stage, you just might need to make changes to your diet overnight. Here's the truth. You're not going to like it.
Switching from the foods that you love to healthier options can be difficult. Many people have a sugar addiction that they may not even be aware of, and giving up candy, chocolates, donuts, et cetera can be painful. Yet, you must be aware that sacrifice is essential to overcome diabetes. Give yourself a month, and you'll discover that you can get by just fine without the sugary foods and refined carbohydrates, your sense of taste will improve, your mind will be clearer, and you'll look and feel better. You'll soon love the healthy foods you eat because these foods are what your body craves.
2
Making Time To Exercise
There's no way around this fact. You absolutely must exercise. Getting more activity into your day will help you burn more calories. Choose an activity you love and do it daily. You could run for 30 minutes or swim or cycle.
Kickboxing is great. Or you could try Pilates, yoga, or rowing; you are only limited by your imagination. Exercise doesn't mean running endlessly on the treadmill or grunting and lifting weights as you curse under your breath. It just means being more active than you're accustomed to. If your diet is on point, the exercise will just aid in burning more calories so that you shed the excess pounds faster and reduce your diabetes risk.
3
Stopping To Smell The Roses
Stress causes all kinds of health problems and is linked to diabetes, too. Take time to de-stress. Deep breathing, journaling, meditating, watching comedies, et cetera are all stress relievers.
Find what works for you and make time to relax. This will help ease physical ailments caused by stress, but that isn't the only benefit. Hobbies and relaxation are also good for your mental health, which is just as important as your physical health.
4
Motivating Yourself Daily
It can be tough to stay on track when you're making all these changes. Your mind will fight with you at every turn because it hates change. Your body is designed to preserve you, and it will try to prevent you from struggling to make a positive change because you're in a state of discomfort.
Read motivational books. Watch motivational videos on YouTube, and do whatever it takes to keep moving forward. Surround yourself with loved ones who know your goals and seek to actively encourage you in completing them.
5
Tracking And Monitoring
If you have diabetes, it is crucial that you track your blood sugar level and monitor your condition closely. Keep a record of the foods that you eat and how they make you feel. It may be a bit of a hassle, but it's necessary. What gets measured gets managed. So make the extra effort to track your condition.
If you put your health as your first priority, everything else will fall into place. Gandhi once said, "Action expresses priorities." Follow the right actions and do what you need to, even if it may initially seem difficult.
Now, you have a better handle on some of the priorities that you need to have when combatting diabetes. First, we discussed the more difficult changes, changing your diet and creating plans for exercise. Then, we talked about the importance of taking time for yourself and relaxation as well as keeping yourself motivated to reach your goals. Finally, we went over making sure that you track and monitor your condition closely.
Once you get into the swing of things, it will become easy, and you'll be an expert at managing your diabetes and overcoming it. That's how you lead a rewarding life, even if you have diabetes. Millions of people have done it, and so can you.
