The treatment of diabetes is highly individualized. It will depend on the type of diabetes, whether you have other active medical problems, as well as your age and general health at time of diagnosis. However, one fact remains constant in treatment: if you have diabetes, you must make healthier lifestyle choices in diet, exercise, and other habits. These will help to improve glycemic (blood sugar) control and prevent or minimize complications of diabetes.

1. Diet: A healthy diet is key to controlling blood sugar levels and preventing diabetes complications.
• If you are obese and have had difficulty losing weight on your own, talk to your health care provider.
• Eat a consistent, well-balanced diet that is high in fibre, low in saturated fat, and low in concentrated sugars.
• A consistent diet that includes roughly the same number of calories at about the same times of day helps your health care provider prescribe the correct dose of medication or insulin.
• It will also help to keep your blood sugar at a relatively even level and avoid excessively low or high blood sugar levels, which can be dangerous and even life threatening.

2. Exercise: Regular exercise, in any form, can help reduce the risk of developing diabetes. Activity can also reduce the risk of developing complications of diabetes such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and leg ulcers.
• Any exercise is beneficial; no matter how light or how long, some exercise is better than no exercise.
• If you have complications of diabetes (eye, kidney, or nerve problems), you may be limited both in type of exercise and amount of exercise you can safely do without worsening your condition. Consult with your health care provider before starting any exercise program.

3. Alcohol use: Moderate or eliminate your consumption of alcohol. One drink is considered 1.5 ounces of liquor, 6 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer. Excessive alcohol use is a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Alcohol consumption can cause low or high blood sugar levels, nerve pain called neuritis, and increase in triglycerides, which is a type of fat in our blood.

4. Smoking: If you have diabetes, and you smoke cigarettes or use any other form of tobacco, you are raising your risks markedly for nearly all of the complications of diabetes. Smoking damages blood vessels and contributes to heart disease, stroke, and poor circulation in the limbs. If you need help quitting, talk to your health care provider.

5. Self-monitored blood glucose: Check your blood sugar levels frequently, at least before meals and at bedtime, and record the results in a logbook.
• Better equipment now available makes testing your blood sugar levels less painful and less complicated than ever. Your daily blood sugar diary is invaluable to your health care provider in seeing how you are responding to medications, diet, and exercise in the treatment of your diabetes.
• Medicare now pays for diabetic testing supplies, as do many private insurers and Medicaid.

The treatment of diabetes is highly individualized. It will depend on the type of diabetes, whether you have other active medical problems, as well as your age and general health at time of diagnosis. However, one fact remains constant in treatment: if you have diabetes, you must make healthier lifestyle choices in diet, exercise, and other habits. These will help to improve glycemic (blood sugar) control and prevent or minimize complications of diabetes.

1. Diet: A healthy diet is key to controlling blood sugar levels and preventing diabetes complications.

*If you are obese and have had difficulty losing weight on your own, talk to your health care provider.
*Eat a consistent, well-balanced diet that is high in fibre, low in saturated fat, and low in concentrated sugars.

*A consistent diet that includes roughly the same number of calories at about the same times of day helps your health care provider prescribe the correct dose of medication or insulin.

*It will also help to keep your blood sugar at a relatively even level and avoid excessively low or high blood sugar levels, which can be dangerous and even life threatening.

2. Exercise: Regular exercise, in any form, can help reduce the risk of developing diabetes. Activity can also reduce the risk of developing complications of diabetes such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and leg ulcers.

Any exercise is beneficial; no matter how light or how long, some exercise is better than no exercise.

*If you have complications of diabetes (eye, kidney, or nerve problems), you may be limited both in type of exercise and amount of exercise you can safely do without worsening your condition. Consult with your health care provider before starting any exercise program.

3. Alcohol use: Moderate or eliminate your consumption of alcohol. One drink is considered 1.5 ounces of liquor, 6 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer. Excessive alcohol use is a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Alcohol consumption can cause low or high blood sugar levels, nerve pain called neuritis, and increase in triglycerides, which is a type of fat in our blood.

4. Smoking: If you have diabetes, and you smoke cigarettes or use any other form of tobacco, you are raising your risks markedly for nearly all of the complications of diabetes. Smoking damages blood vessels and contributes to heart disease, stroke, and poor circulation in the limbs. If you need help quitting, talk to your health care provider.

5. Self-monitored blood glucose: Check your blood sugar levels frequently, at least before meals and at bedtime, and record the results in a logbook.

*Better equipment now available makes testing your blood sugar levels less painful and less complicated than ever. Your daily blood sugar diary is invaluable to your health care provider in seeing how you are responding to medications, diet, and exercise in the treatment of your diabetes.

*Medicare now pays for diabetic testing supplies, as do many private insurers and Medicaid.

If you have diabetes, you may be able to get free testing supplies delivered to your door. Many diabetes service companies work with health insurance carriers to provide free supplies to patients with diabetes. Contact your health insurance provider to find out if you qualify for free diabetes testing supplies. Medicare Part B covers diabetic testing supplies, but does not cover other diabetic supplies such as insulin. There are other programs available, such as Medigap, Medicaid and prescription assistance programs. If you are low-income and do not have health insurance, you can apply for financial assistance. Contact the American Diabetes Association for more information on insurance providers and programs that cover diabetic supplies.

There are a lot of online companies that will ship supplies to you free of charge. Some of the supplies included are insulin and insulin supplies, diabetic testing meters (aka glucose meter or glucometer) and testing strips, glucose control solutions, and alcohol swabs. While testing meters are not that expensive, the test strips can be. If you can get your test strips free in addition to the glucose meter, you can save a lot of money. These companies usually only offer the free meter and test strips to diabetics with health insurance. You will have to fill out an online form, giving personal information such as your mailing address, health insurance policy and physician information. Some diabetes supply companies handle all the insurance claims, so you can get your diabetic testing supplies quickly and without hassles. Make sure that the company you are using offers free shipping. Some companies offer additional services, such as tips for using glucose testing supplies and valuable information regarding exercise, nutrition and menu planning. Using an online diabetic supply service is a good way to get free diabetic testing supplies and information.