Most people who have diabetes know that a healthier lifestyle can mean major health improvements. However, this advice is used so often, many people don’t know the specifics about the lifestyle changes they should make. If you’re interested in learning the facts so you don’t overlook beneficial changes, then the information below can help. You’ll find some of the top lifestyle changes that may affect your health in a positive way, despite having diabetes.
- 1.Stress Management
Stress is unhealthy for anyone, but especially diabetes patients because it can cause imbalances with blood glucose levels. And while there’s nothing you can do to completely avoid stress, there are ways you can reduce or manage it better so those imbalances aren’t as frequent or extreme. For example, exercise and mediation are both very effective ways of decreasing stress levels. You could even join a group where you can just talk about your stress and learn different coping mechanisms that work for other people.
- 2.Exercise Regularly
It’s no secret that exercise is extremely important for diabetes patients because it can help aid with weight loss and stress reduction. However, that’s not the only benefit of getting your heart pumping. It can also help your body use insulin more efficiently so it can properly convert sugar into energy. Even just light exercise can make a difference, so a quick 30-minute walk is something that can turn out to be very worthwhile.
- 3.Regular Eye Appointments
It can be easy to miss a routine eye exam because you don’t have the time, but it’s important to make it a priority. That’s because diabetes most commonly affects the tiny blood vessels in the eyes, which puts you at a higher risk of glaucoma and even blindness. While managing blood sugar can help minimize this risk, it’s still important to have regular eye exams to make sure everything is as it should be.
- 4.Eating a Better Diet
It’s easy to say you’re going to “eat better”, but what you really should do is make a plan for carrying this out. Start by tossing out the junk food, processed food, fast food and even alcohol from your kitchen. These things can cause substantial fluctuations in your blood sugar levels, so they should be avoided. Instead, fill up your pantry with fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and other foods that are high in fiber while low in carbohydrates. A diet like this may minimize blood sugar imbalances and help with weight loss.
Seeing Proof
If you’re interested in seeing evidence of how positive lifestyle changes make an impact on your health, then consider making an appointment with a functional medicine provider. They use many different tests so they can analyze what your exact deficiencies, imbalances and dysfunctions are. As you progress through their care they will compare current test results to those from the past so you can see evidence of changes. This can make it apparent that those lifestyle improvements are making a difference, and give you motivation to stick with it.
-Dr. Ashley Woyak, Forward Natural Medicine