Five things to consider if you’ve just been diagnosed with diabetes

With Diabetes Week taking place in June, it’s a great opportunity to raise people’s awareness of a condition that affects more than 371 million people worldwide.

There are a number of different types of diabetes, however, the three main types are:

• Type 1 diabetes can develop if your body is unable to produce the hormone insulin. It usually starts when you’re young and is the most common type of diabetes in children.
• Type 2 diabetes can develop if your body can’t make enough insulin or when the insulin that is produced can’t be used properly. It usually starts when you’re older, however, in recent year’s teenagers and children have begun to be affected by type 2 diabetes.
• Gestational diabetes affects pregnant women. It can happen if your body can’t produce the extra insulin that your body will need while you’re pregnant.

Of those 371 million people that have diabetes, 90 percent have type 2 diabetes.

Even though there are many effective treatments to help control your diabetes, being newly diagnosed can be quite a shock and you may have many questions floating around your head. Here are five things to consider if you’ve just been diagnosed with diabetes.

Knowledge is power

Coming to terms with being diagnosed with diabetes can be a challenge and will affect everyone differently. Finding out as much as you can the type of diabetes you have and how you can control it will help. Use respected websites and talk to health professionals to get the information you need.

Talk it through

You may find it difficult to talk about your diabetes and the emotional rollercoaster that you’ve found yourself on. However, building a support network can be invaluable so try your hardest to speak to friends, family and work colleagues. You may also find it useful to join a support group or a diabetes forum to share your experiences with others going through the same emotions. This can be especially useful if you’re feeling alone with your diabetes.

Take control

Taking control of your health has an even greater importance if you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes. Keeping on top of your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels is essential to help prevent any complications associated with diabetes, such as cardiovascular disease. It’s also important to regularly check the condition of your feet for signs of neuropathy and eyes for signs of retinopathy. This can be quite a daunting prospect, so you may find it useful to download an app to your phone where you can log and track your details. Alternatively, keeping a simple diary can be just as effective.

Think short-term

Because there’s so much to take in, you may feel overwhelmed by all the changes that are happening in your life. It could be that you’re struggling to remember all of the health information you need to know and learn the new skills you need to take care of yourself. Eventually, these things will become second nature but in the meantime, set yourself short-term goals that are achievable to help you feel like you are taking steps in the right direction.

Make the change

Making sure you get 30 minutes of exercise on at least five days a week and tweaking your diet so your meals are healthy and balanced should get you off on the right foot if you’ve just been diagnosed with diabetes. Maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking if you’re a smoker and drinking alcohol in moderation will also help you live a healthy life. The sooner you start making these changes to your lifestyle, the easier you will find it managing and living with your diabetes.

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