Diet:

The good news is that diabetes does not require special foods. You should try to stick to certain foods, however:

Low in fat and salt

High in fiber - beans, other vegetables, and fruit

Remember to eat foods from all food groups: milk and milk products; meat, chicken, turkey, fish, beans, cheese, and eggs; bread, cereal, rice, noodles, and potatoes; and fruits and vegetables.

If you are overweight, reducing the amount of food you eat will help you lose weight and make your diabetes easier to control.
Your doctor can refer you to a dietitian who can help you plan meals that will include the right foods that taste great and are good for you.

Alcohol:

Your doctor may let you drink alcohol if your diabetes is under control and you don't have high blood pressure or nerve damage. You need to understand, however, what happens to you when you drink alcohol. You risk low blood sugar if you take insulin or diabetes pills. Your liver won't release glucose until it clears the alcohol, which your liver treats as a poison in your system. Thus, you could end up with very low glucose levels if you drink alcohol.

If you do drink, limit yourself to one drink a day if you're a woman and two drinks a day if you're a man. Remember, never drink alcohol on an empty stomach.

Smoking:

Smoking greatly increases the risk of heart and blood vessel disease, two of the major complications of diabetes. Stopping smoking is the single best thing you can do to decrease your chances of developing heart and blood vessel disease.

Exercise and activity:

Always see a doctor before you start an exercise program. Your doctor may have good ideas about types of exercise that would be best for you. Exercise is important for people with diabetes because it:

Helps insulin work better to lower blood sugar

Helps keep weight down, which also improves your condition

Is good for your heart, blood vessels, and lungs

Gives you more energy
You won't have to do a special set of exercises because you have diabetes. You should be aware, however, of how exercise affects your body's need for sugar.

When you exercise, be sure to:

Have a snack with you in case you get low blood sugar

Wear a tag or carry a card that says you have diabetes

Eat a snack, such as milk or an apple, if it has been more than an hour since you've eaten

Avoid exercising if your blood sugar is over 240 mg/dL. Try to lower your blood sugar (see section on Treatment Options, "If your blood sugar is high")

Managing your condition:

If you have diabetes, you have the responsibility of managing your own case.

If you need to take medicine, be sure to take it as directed. Don't try to change your own dosage and try to take it on time every day. Be careful not to skip doses of insulin or other medications.

You will have to test your blood for sugar as directed by your doctor. Some people only test once a day. Those who take insulin or multiple medications might test four times a day.

To test your blood, you will need test strips and a lancets to pierce your finger for a blood drop.

You will simply prick your finger, get a drop of blood, and place it on the end of the strip. After a short time place the strip in your glucose meter and get an exact number for your blood sugar.

People with Type 1 diabetes may also want to buy a urine test strips for ketones, substances that your body forms when you don't have enough insulin and your blood glucose levels are high, usually when you are sick. You may need to test for ketones when you have a blood sugar reading of more than 240 mg/dL before you eat.

If you have ketones when you take a urine test, call your doctor immediately. This may indicate a developing condition called diabetic ketoacidosis that is a serious condition that can cause death if left untreated.

Finally, you should see your doctor for a special blood test every three-to-six months. This is the hemoglobin A1c test, which gives your doctor a picture of your blood sugar over time. It shows how much sugar is attached to the hemoglobin in your red blood cells. Ask your doctor if you have questions about your hemoglobin A1c test results. You should have a normal result if most of your blood sugar levels are near 100.

Managing your diabetes may take some planning. Ask your doctor how to best prepare for different situations, which may require extra insulin or even changes to your regular dose of medication:

When you are sick

If you are planning a pregnancy or become pregnant

When you are traveling

When you are at school or at work

When you are exercising

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