Your Diabetes for Life. This booklet presents four key steps to help you most common form of diabetes. All people with diabetes need to eat healthy foods, …
Steps to Control Your Diabetes for Life
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Contents
Introduction 1 Step 1: Learn about diabetes 2 Step 2: Know your diabetes ABCs 4 Step 3: Manage your diabetes 6 Step 4: Get routine care 8 Notes 10 My Diabetes Care Record 11 Where to Get Help Inside Back Cover
4 Steps to Control Your Diabetes for Life
This booklet presents four key steps to help you control your diabetes and live a long and active life
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4
Learn about diabetes Know your diabetes ABCs Manage your diabetes Get routine care
Diabetes is a serious disease It affects almost every part of the body That is why a team of people may help you take care of your diabetes: doctors pharmacists diabetes educators dentists nurses mental health and social workers dietitians your friends and family eye and foot doctors
Talk to your health care team about your
special needs
Work with your team to manage your diabetes
The
marks in this booklet show actions you could take
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Step 1
Learn about diabetes
Diabetes means that your blood glucose blood sugar is too high There are two main types of diabetes Type 1
diabetes–the body does not make insulin Insulin helps the body use glucose from food for energy People with type 1 need to take insulin every day Type 2 diabetes–the body does not make or use insulin well People with type 2 often need to take pills or insulin Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes All people with diabetes need to eat healthy foods, stay at a healthy weight, and be active every day Diabetes is a serious disease Terms such as a touch of diabetes or your sugar is a little high suggest that diabetes is not a serious disease That is not correct and these terms should not be used Taking good care of diabetes will help you feel better and avoid the health problems diabetes can cause such as: heart disease and stroke eye disease that can lead to vision problems or even going blind nerve damage that can cause your hands and feet to feel numb or tingle and that can lead to loss of a foot or a leg kidney problems gum disease and loss of teeth When your diabetes is in good control, you are more likely to feel better and: be less tired and thirsty 2
urinate less often heal better and have fewer gum, skin, or bladder infections be less likely to have blurry
vision or numb hands or feet
Some people are more likely to get diabetes Some people may have a higher chance of getting diabetes They should ask their doctor if they need to be tested for diabetes These include people who are ages 45 and older are overweight are African American, Hispanic/Latino American, Asian American or Pacific Islander, or American Indian have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes have high blood pressure above 140/90 have low HDL good cholesterol and high levels of blood fats have had diabetes when pregnant or gave birth to a large baby over 9 pounds are active less than three times a week
Ask your health care team what type of diabetes
you have or if you should be tested for diabetes
Know why diabetes is serious Know who is more likely to get diabetes
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Step 2
Know your diabetes ABCs
Manage your A1C blood glucose or sugar, Blood pressure, and Cholesterol This will help lower your chances of having a heart attack, a stroke, or other diabetes problems These are called the ABCs of diabetes
A is for the A1C test
It shows how well your blood glucose has been controlled over the last 3 months It should be checked at least twice a year
The
goal for most people is less than 7
High blood glucose levels can harm your kidneys, feet, and eyes
B is for blood pressure
The goal for most people is 130/80
High blood pressure makes your heart work too hard It can cause heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease
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C is for cholesterol
The LDL goal for most people is less than100
Bad cholesterol, or LDL, can build up and clog your blood vessels It can cause a heart attack or a stroke
Ask your health care team:
What are my
A1C blood glucose, Blood pressure, and Cholesterol numbers? ABC numbers be?
What should my
Write down your numbers on the record card
at the back of this booklet
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Step 3
Manage your diabetes
Many people avoid the long-term problems of diabetes by taking good care of themselves and the ABCs of diabetes Work with your health care team, friends, and family to make healthy lifestyle choices and reach your ABC goals
Follow your diabetes food plan
If you do not have one, ask your health care team about it as fruits and vegetables 5 to 9 servings a day, fish, lean meats, dry beans, whole grains, and low-fat or skim milk and cheese
Eat the right portions of healthy foods such
Eat foods that have
less salt and fat Get 30 to 60 minutes of activity on most days
of the week
Stay at a healthy weight–by being active and
eating the right amounts of healthy foods
Stop smoking–seek help to quit Take medicines the way your doctor tells you
Ask if you need aspirin to prevent heart attack or stroke
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Check your feet every day for cuts, blisters, red
spots, and swelling Call your health care team right away about any sores that wont heal avoid problems with your mouth, teeth, or gums tells you to
Brush your teeth and floss every day to Check your blood glucose the way your doctor
Work with your health care team to manage
your diabetes and stay healthy
If you have Medicare Part B, ask your health
learning about diabetes self-care special shoes, if you need them
care team how to get some of the cost paid for
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Step 4
Get routine care
See your health care team at least twice a year to find and treat problems early Follow this plan At each visit get a: Blood pressure check if over 130/80, ask what steps to take to reach your goal Weight check Foot check Two times each year get: A1C check check more often if over 7 Dental exams to prevent gum disease and loss
of teeth Tell your dentist you have diabetes
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Once each year get a: Cholesterol check if LDL is over 100, ask what steps to take to reach your goal Dilated eye exam to check for eye problems Complete foot exam to check on foot health Urine and blood tests to check for kidney problems Flu shot At least once get a: Pneumonia shot
Ask your team about these and other tests you
may need
Use the diabetes care record at the back of this
booklet to keep a record of your diabetes care
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Notes
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My Diabetes Care Record
A1C Blood Glucose At least twice each year Usual goal: less than 7 My Goal:_______ Date Result BLOOD PRESSURE BP Each visit Usual goal: less than 130/80 My Goal:_______ Date Result CHOLESTEROL LDL Once each year Usual goal: less than 100 My Goal:_______
Cut this out and keep your diabetes care record
Date Result WEIGHT Each visit Date Result My Goal:_______
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My Diabetes Care Record
Diabetes Care Each visit Foot check Weight check Twice each year Dental exam Once each year Dilated eye exam Complete foot exam Kidney check Flu shot At least once Pneumonia shot Date _________ _________ Result _________ _________
_________
_________
_________
_________ _________ _________
_________ _________ _________ _________
_________
_________
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Where to get help:
American Association of Diabetes Educators 1-800-TEAM-UP4 800-832-6874 wwwdiabeteseducatororg American Diabetes Association 1-800-DIABETES 800-342-2383 wwwdiabetesorg American Dietetic Association 1-800-366-1655 in English and Spanish wwweatrightorg Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1-877-232-3422 wwwcdcgov/diabetes Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services 1-800-MEDICARE or 800-633-4227 wwwmedicaregov/health/diabetesasp National Diabetes Education Program 1-800-438-5383 wwwndepnihgov National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases / National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse 1-800-860-8747 in English and Spanish wwwniddknihgov
National Diabetes Education Program 1-800-438-5383 wwwndepnihgov
The National Diabetes Education Program NDEP is a joint program of the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
NIH Publication No 04-5492 December 2003
Source:nfid.org
