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Managing Your Diabetes Starts with Education

August 8, 2023
CCS

Diabetes is a serious but manageable disease – and managing it starts with education. By learning how to track your blood sugar levels, eat a healthy diet, and stick to your treatment plan, you can live a healthy life while managing diabetes.

Diabetes Education Resources

There are many ways you can learn about managing your diabetes. You can talk to your doctor, a diabetes educator, or look at online resources like Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and the American Diabetes Association (ADA). There are also diabetes education centers that can help you. These are most often connected with and accredited by hospitals or nonprofit organizations like the ADA. At CCS, we provide educational webinars designed by our clinicians and led by our Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists. All these resources can provide you with information about new medications, devices, and technologies that can help you better manage your diabetes.

Keeping Track of Your ABCs

Another important part of managing diabetes is keeping track of your ABCs.

A- Know your A1C. It’s a blood test that measures your average blood sugar level over the past three months.

B- Know your blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to many complications of diabetes.

C- Know your cholesterol. High cholesterol can increase the risk for heart disease and stroke.

S- Stop Smoking. Smoking can raise your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

These are things that can affect your health if they are not in a good range. You can keep track of your ABCs by getting regular checkups with your doctor.

Here are some tips to help you stay on track with your ABCs:

Set small goals. Don’t try to change everything at once. Start with small goals and build on them.

Find a support system. Talk to your doctor, a diabetes educator, or a support group. Having people to talk to who understand what you are going through can be a big help.
Reward yourself for your successes. Take time to celebrate your success. This will help you stay motivated and on track. Set goals you can reach so you can celebrate your successes often.

Diabetes education and managing diabetes is a lifelong process. With the right tools and help, you can live a long and healthy life with diabetes.

Author: Rebecca Day RN, CDCES | CCS Health

This site is for educational purposes only. Talk to your doctor or healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health.

Resources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022a, June 2). How much physical activity do adults need?. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022b, November 3). Steps to help you stay healthy with diabetes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/4steps.html

Cholesterol and diabetes. www.heart.org. (2023, March 28). https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/diabetes/diabetes-complications-and-risks/cholesterol-abnormalities–diabetes

WebMD. (n.d.). Diabetes & high blood pressure: Managing diabetic hypertension. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/high-blood-pressure#:~:text=High%20blood%20pressure%20(hypertension)%20can,disease%2C%20or%20make%20them%20worse