Diabetes: treatment and research

Diabetes cannot be cured, but it can be controlled. Strict control of blood glucose, or blood sugar, as well as blood pressure and cholesterol is the best defense against the serious complications of diabetes. People with type 1 diabetes control their blood sugar with insulin injections and frequent self-monitoring of blood glucose. People with type 2 diabetes generally control their blood sugar with oral medications and, in some cases, insulin. Sometimes a person with type 2 diabetes can control blood glucose levels with diet and exercise alone.

Good control of blood glucose requires:

following a meal plan
getting regular physical activity
taking diabetes medicine every day
checking blood glucose as recommended
monitoring your diabetes ABCs.

Follow a Meal Plan

Healthy eating is very important to lowering blood glucose levels, and people with diabetes should have their own meal plan. Ask your doctor to give you the name of a dietitian or a diabetes educator who can work with you to develop a meal plan. In designing a meal plan, the dietitian considers the patient's weight and daily physical activity. For overweight patients, a weight loss plan is a must for proper blood glucose control. Your dietitian can help you plan meals to include foods that you and your family like to eat and that are good for you. Ask your dietitian to include foods that are heart healthy to reduce your risk of heart disease. People with diabetes don't need to eat special foods. You read more