Set a goal to be more physically active. Try to work up to 30 minutes or more of physical activity on most days of the week. Brisk walking and swimming are good ways to move more. If you are not active now, ask your health care team about the types and amounts of physical activity that are right for you.

Learn more about being physically active with diabetes. Following your meal plan and being more active can help you stay at or get to a healthy weight. If you are overweight or obese, work with your health care team to create a weight-loss plan that is right for you.

Take your medicines for diabetes and any other health problems, even when you feel good or have reached your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol goals. These medicines help you manage your ABCs. Ask your doctor if you need to take aspirin to prevent a heart attack or stroke.

Tell your health care professional if you cannot afford your medicines or if you have any side effects from your medicines. Learn more about insulin and other diabetes medicines. For many people with diabetes, checking their blood glucose level each day is an important way to manage their diabetes.

Monitoring your blood glucose level is most important if you take insulin. The results of blood glucose monitoring can help you make decisions about food, physical activity, and medicines. The most common way to check your blood glucose level at home is with a blood glucose meter.

You get a drop of blood by pricking the side of your fingertip with a lancet. Then you apply the blood to a test strip. The meter will show you how much glucose is in your blood at the moment.

Ask your health care team how often you should check your blood glucose levels. Make sure to keep a record of your blood glucose self-checks. You can print copies of this glucose self-check chart. Take these records with you when you visit your health care team.

Continuous glucose monitoring CGM is another way to check your glucose levels. Most CGM systems use a tiny sensor that you insert under your skin. If the CGM system shows that your glucose is too high or too low, you should check your glucose with a blood glucose meter before making any changes to your eating plan, physical activity, or medicines.

A CGM system is especially useful for people who use insulin and have problems with low blood glucose. Talk with your health care team about the best target range for you. Be sure to tell your health care professional if your glucose levels often go above or below your target range.

Sometimes blood glucose levels drop below where they should be, which is called hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia can be life threatening and needs to be treated right away.

Learn more about how to recognize and treat hypoglycemia. If you often have high blood glucose levels or symptoms of high blood glucose, talk with your health care team. You may need a change in your diabetes meal plan, physical activity plan, or medicines. Most people with diabetes get health care from a primary care professional.

Primary care professionals include internists, family physicians, and pediatricians. Sometimes physician assistants and nurses with extra training, called nurse practitioners, provide primary care. You also will need to see other care professionals from time to time. A team of health care professionals can help you improve your diabetes self-care.

Remember, you are the most important member of your health care team. When you see members of your health care team, ask questions. Watch a video to help you get ready for your diabetes care visit.

You should see your health care team at least twice a year, and more often if you are having problems or are having trouble reaching your blood glucose, blood pressure, or cholesterol goals.

Learn what factors help maintain healthy blood sugar levels and when someone may need…. Several factors increase a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In this article, learn about how to prevent the condition by losing weight…. Diabetes management includes artificial insulin and lifestyle adjustments.

Read on to learn more. Although it is not always possible to prevent gestational diabetes, eating well and exercising regularly to achieve or maintain a healthy weight can….

What are some of the ways that diabetes may develop? Read on to learn more about the different types of diabetes and their potential causes. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health?

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Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. How to manage diabetes. Medically reviewed by Maria Prelipcean, M. Self-monitoring Healthy weight Nutrition Exercise Stop smoking Take medication regularly Takeaway While there is no cure for diabetes, with treatment and self-management strategies, a person can live a long and healthy life.

Share on Pinterest People can self-monitor their diabetes with a blood glucose meter. Maintain a healthy weight. Get good nutrition. Exercise regularly. Share on Pinterest Regular exercise may help control blood sugar levels.

Stop smoking. Take medication regularly. Share on Pinterest A person should take their diabetes medication as prescribed to prevent further complications. How we reviewed this article: Sources.

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How gastric bypass surgery can help with type 2 diabetes remission. Atlantic diet may help prevent metabolic syndrome. A serving of cheese is about the size of six grapes. And a serving of cooked pasta or rice is about the size of a fist. You also can use measuring cups or a scale to help make sure you get the right portion sizes.

Balance your meals and medicines. If you take diabetes medicine, it's important to balance what you eat and drink with your medicine. Too little food in proportion to your diabetes medicine — especially insulin — can lead to dangerously low blood sugar.

This is called hypoglycemia. Too much food may cause your blood sugar level to climb too high. This is called hyperglycemia. Talk to your diabetes health care team about how to best coordinate meal and medicine schedules. Limit sugary drinks.

Sugar-sweetened drinks tend to be high in calories and low in nutrition. They also cause blood sugar to rise quickly. So it's best to limit these types of drinks if you have diabetes. The exception is if you have a low blood sugar level. Sugary drinks can be used to quickly raise blood sugar that is too low.

These drinks include regular soda, juice and sports drinks. Exercise is another important part of managing diabetes. When you move and get active, your muscles use blood sugar for energy. Regular physical activity also helps your body use insulin better.

These factors work together to lower your blood sugar level. The more strenuous your workout, the longer the effect lasts.

But even light activities can improve your blood sugar level. Light activities include housework, gardening and walking. Talk to your healthcare professional about an exercise plan. Ask your healthcare professional what type of exercise is right for you.

In general, most adults should get at least minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity. That includes activities that get the heart pumping, such as walking, biking and swimming.

Aim for about 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a day on most days of the week. Most adults also should aim to do strength-building exercise 2 to 3 times a week.

If you haven't been active for a long time, your healthcare professional may want to check your overall health first. Then the right balance of aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise can be recommended.

Keep an exercise schedule. Ask your healthcare professional about the best time of day for you to exercise. That way, your workout routine is aligned with your meal and medicine schedules. Know your numbers. Talk with your healthcare professional about what blood sugar levels are right for you before you start exercise.

Check your blood sugar level. Also talk with your healthcare professional about your blood sugar testing needs. If you don't take insulin or other diabetes medicines, you likely won't need to check your blood sugar before or during exercise. But if you take insulin or other diabetes medicines, testing is important.

Check your blood sugar before, during and after exercise. Many diabetes medicines lower blood sugar. So does exercise, and its effects can last up to a day later. The risk of low blood sugar is greater if the activity is new to you.

The risk also is greater if you start to exercise at a more intense level. Be aware of symptoms of low blood sugar. These include feeling shaky, weak, tired, hungry, lightheaded, irritable, anxious or confused. See if you need a snack. Have a small snack before you exercise if you use insulin and your blood sugar level is low.

The snack you have before exercise should contain about 15 to 30 grams of carbs. Or you could take 10 to 20 grams of glucose products. This helps prevent a low blood sugar level.

Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water or other fluids while exercising. Dehydration can affect blood sugar levels. Be prepared. Always have a small snack, glucose tablets or glucose gel with you during exercise. You'll need a quick way to boost your blood sugar if it drops too low.

Carry medical identification too. In case of an emergency, medical identification can show others that you have diabetes. It also can show whether you take diabetes medicine such as insulin.

Medical IDs come in forms such as cards, bracelets and necklaces. Adjust your diabetes treatment plan as needed. If you take insulin, you may need to lower your insulin dose before you exercise. You also may need to watch your blood sugar level closely for several hours after intense activity.

That's because low blood sugar can happen later on. Your healthcare professional can advise you how to correctly make changes to your medicine. You also may need to adjust your treatment if you've increased how often or how hard you exercise. Insulin and other diabetes medicines are designed to lower blood sugar levels when diet and exercise alone don't help enough.

How well these medicines work depends on the timing and size of the dose. Medicines you take for conditions other than diabetes also can affect your blood sugar levels. Store insulin properly. Insulin that is not stored properly or is past its expiration date may not work.

Keep insulin away from extreme heat or cold. Don't store it in the freezer or in direct sunlight. Tell your healthcare professional about any medicine problems.

If your diabetes medicines cause your blood sugar level to drop too low, the dosage or timing may need to be changed.

Your healthcare professional also might adjust your medicine if your blood sugar stays too high. Be cautious with new medicines.

Talk with your healthcare team or pharmacist before you try new medicines. That includes medicines sold without a prescription and those prescribed for other medical conditions. Ask how the new medicine might affect your blood sugar levels and any diabetes medicines you take. Sometimes a different medicine may be used to prevent dangerous side effects.

Or a different medicine might be used to prevent your current medicine from mixing poorly with a new one. With diabetes, it's important to be prepared for times of illness. When you're sick, your body makes stress-related hormones that help fight the illness. But those hormones also can raise your blood sugar.

Changes in your appetite and usual activity also may affect your blood sugar level. Plan ahead. Work with your healthcare team to make a plan for sick days. Include instructions on what medicines to take and how to adjust your medicines if needed. Also note how often to measure your blood sugar.

Ask your healthcare professional if you need to measure levels of acids in the urine called ketones. Your plan also should include what foods and drinks to have, and what cold or flu medicines you can take.

Know when to call your healthcare professional too. For example, it's important to call if you run a fever over degrees Fahrenheit Keep taking your diabetes medicine.

But call your healthcare professional if you can't eat because of an upset stomach or vomiting. In these situations, you may need to change your insulin dose. If you take rapid-acting or short-acting insulin or other diabetes medicine, you may need to lower the dose or stop taking it for a time.

These medicines need to be carefully balanced with food to prevent low blood sugar. But if you use long-acting insulin, do not stop taking it. During times of illness, it's also important to check your blood sugar often. Stick to your diabetes meal plan if you can.

Eating as usual helps you control your blood sugar. Keep a supply of foods that are easy on your stomach. These include gelatin, crackers, soups, instant pudding and applesauce. Drink lots of water or other fluids that don't add calories, such as tea, to make sure you stay hydrated.

If you take insulin, you may need to sip sugary drinks such as juice or sports drinks. These drinks can help keep your blood sugar from dropping too low. It's risky for some people with diabetes to drink alcohol.

Alcohol can lead to low blood sugar shortly after you drink it and for hours afterward.

Being fit for yourself and your family? Having fun? Having energy? Everything you do to take care of yourself gives you more of what matters most. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Español Other Languages. Living Well With Diabetes. Español Spanish.

Minus Related Pages. Learn what portion size is right for each type of food. Everyday objects can help you remember. For example, one serving of meat or poultry is about the size of a deck of cards. A serving of cheese is about the size of six grapes. And a serving of cooked pasta or rice is about the size of a fist.

You also can use measuring cups or a scale to help make sure you get the right portion sizes. Balance your meals and medicines. If you take diabetes medicine, it's important to balance what you eat and drink with your medicine. Too little food in proportion to your diabetes medicine — especially insulin — can lead to dangerously low blood sugar.

This is called hypoglycemia. Too much food may cause your blood sugar level to climb too high. This is called hyperglycemia. Talk to your diabetes health care team about how to best coordinate meal and medicine schedules.

Limit sugary drinks. Sugar-sweetened drinks tend to be high in calories and low in nutrition. They also cause blood sugar to rise quickly. So it's best to limit these types of drinks if you have diabetes. The exception is if you have a low blood sugar level.

Sugary drinks can be used to quickly raise blood sugar that is too low. These drinks include regular soda, juice and sports drinks. Exercise is another important part of managing diabetes. When you move and get active, your muscles use blood sugar for energy. Regular physical activity also helps your body use insulin better.

These factors work together to lower your blood sugar level. The more strenuous your workout, the longer the effect lasts. But even light activities can improve your blood sugar level. Light activities include housework, gardening and walking.

Talk to your healthcare professional about an exercise plan. Ask your healthcare professional what type of exercise is right for you. In general, most adults should get at least minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity. That includes activities that get the heart pumping, such as walking, biking and swimming.

Aim for about 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a day on most days of the week. Most adults also should aim to do strength-building exercise 2 to 3 times a week. If you haven't been active for a long time, your healthcare professional may want to check your overall health first.

Then the right balance of aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercise can be recommended. Keep an exercise schedule. Ask your healthcare professional about the best time of day for you to exercise. That way, your workout routine is aligned with your meal and medicine schedules.

Know your numbers. Talk with your healthcare professional about what blood sugar levels are right for you before you start exercise.

Check your blood sugar level. Also talk with your healthcare professional about your blood sugar testing needs. If you don't take insulin or other diabetes medicines, you likely won't need to check your blood sugar before or during exercise.

But if you take insulin or other diabetes medicines, testing is important. Check your blood sugar before, during and after exercise.

Many diabetes medicines lower blood sugar. So does exercise, and its effects can last up to a day later. The risk of low blood sugar is greater if the activity is new to you. The risk also is greater if you start to exercise at a more intense level. Be aware of symptoms of low blood sugar.

These include feeling shaky, weak, tired, hungry, lightheaded, irritable, anxious or confused. See if you need a snack. Have a small snack before you exercise if you use insulin and your blood sugar level is low. The snack you have before exercise should contain about 15 to 30 grams of carbs.

Or you could take 10 to 20 grams of glucose products. This helps prevent a low blood sugar level. Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water or other fluids while exercising. Dehydration can affect blood sugar levels. Be prepared. Always have a small snack, glucose tablets or glucose gel with you during exercise.

You'll need a quick way to boost your blood sugar if it drops too low. Carry medical identification too. In case of an emergency, medical identification can show others that you have diabetes. It also can show whether you take diabetes medicine such as insulin.

Medical IDs come in forms such as cards, bracelets and necklaces. Adjust your diabetes treatment plan as needed.

If you take insulin, you may need to lower your insulin dose before you exercise. You also may need to watch your blood sugar level closely for several hours after intense activity. That's because low blood sugar can happen later on.

Your healthcare professional can advise you how to correctly make changes to your medicine. You also may need to adjust your treatment if you've increased how often or how hard you exercise.

Insulin and other diabetes medicines are designed to lower blood sugar levels when diet and exercise alone don't help enough.

How well these medicines work depends on the timing and size of the dose. Medicines you take for conditions other than diabetes also can affect your blood sugar levels. Store insulin properly. Insulin that is not stored properly or is past its expiration date may not work.

Keep insulin away from extreme heat or cold. Don't store it in the freezer or in direct sunlight. Tell your healthcare professional about any medicine problems. If your diabetes medicines cause your blood sugar level to drop too low, the dosage or timing may need to be changed.

Your healthcare professional also might adjust your medicine if your blood sugar stays too high. Be cautious with new medicines. Talk with your healthcare team or pharmacist before you try new medicines. That includes medicines sold without a prescription and those prescribed for other medical conditions.

Ask how the new medicine might affect your blood sugar levels and any diabetes medicines you take. Sometimes a different medicine may be used to prevent dangerous side effects. Or a different medicine might be used to prevent your current medicine from mixing poorly with a new one.

With diabetes, it's important to be prepared for times of illness. When you're sick, your body makes stress-related hormones that help fight the illness.

But those hormones also can raise your blood sugar. Changes in your appetite and usual activity also may affect your blood sugar level. Plan ahead. Work with your healthcare team to make a plan for sick days. Include instructions on what medicines to take and how to adjust your medicines if needed.

Also note how often to measure your blood sugar. Ask your healthcare professional if you need to measure levels of acids in the urine called ketones. Your plan also should include what foods and drinks to have, and what cold or flu medicines you can take.

Know when to call your healthcare professional too. For example, it's important to call if you run a fever over degrees Fahrenheit Keep taking your diabetes medicine. But call your healthcare professional if you can't eat because of an upset stomach or vomiting.

In these situations, you may need to change your insulin dose. If you take rapid-acting or short-acting insulin or other diabetes medicine, you may need to lower the dose or stop taking it for a time. These medicines need to be carefully balanced with food to prevent low blood sugar. But if you use long-acting insulin, do not stop taking it.

During times of illness, it's also important to check your blood sugar often. Stick to your diabetes meal plan if you can. Eating as usual helps you control your blood sugar. Keep a supply of foods that are easy on your stomach.

These include gelatin, crackers, soups, instant pudding and applesauce. Drink lots of water or other fluids that don't add calories, such as tea, to make sure you stay hydrated. If you take insulin, you may need to sip sugary drinks such as juice or sports drinks.

For many people with diabetes, checking their blood glucose level each day is an important way to manage their diabetes. Monitoring your blood glucose level is most important if you take insulin.

The results of blood glucose monitoring can help you make decisions about food, physical activity, and medicines. The most common way to check your blood glucose level at home is with a blood glucose meter.

You get a drop of blood by pricking the side of your fingertip with a lancet. Then you apply the blood to a test strip. The meter will show you how much glucose is in your blood at the moment. Ask your health care team how often you should check your blood glucose levels.

Make sure to keep a record of your blood glucose self-checks. You can print copies of this glucose self-check chart. Take these records with you when you visit your health care team. Continuous glucose monitoring CGM is another way to check your glucose levels. Most CGM systems use a tiny sensor that you insert under your skin.

If the CGM system shows that your glucose is too high or too low, you should check your glucose with a blood glucose meter before making any changes to your eating plan, physical activity, or medicines. A CGM system is especially useful for people who use insulin and have problems with low blood glucose.

Talk with your health care team about the best target range for you. Be sure to tell your health care professional if your glucose levels often go above or below your target range.

Sometimes blood glucose levels drop below where they should be, which is called hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia can be life threatening and needs to be treated right away. Learn more about how to recognize and treat hypoglycemia. If you often have high blood glucose levels or symptoms of high blood glucose, talk with your health care team.

You may need a change in your diabetes meal plan, physical activity plan, or medicines. Most people with diabetes get health care from a primary care professional.

Primary care professionals include internists, family physicians, and pediatricians. Sometimes physician assistants and nurses with extra training, called nurse practitioners, provide primary care.

You also will need to see other care professionals from time to time. A team of health care professionals can help you improve your diabetes self-care. Remember, you are the most important member of your health care team. When you see members of your health care team, ask questions.

Watch a video to help you get ready for your diabetes care visit. You should see your health care team at least twice a year, and more often if you are having problems or are having trouble reaching your blood glucose, blood pressure, or cholesterol goals.

At each visit, be sure you have a blood pressure check, foot check, and weight check; and review your self-care plan. Talk with your health care team about your medicines and whether you need to adjust them.

Routine health care will help you find and treat any health problems early, or may be able to help prevent them. Talk with your doctor about what vaccines you should get to keep from getting sick, such as a flu shot and pneumonia shot.

Preventing illness is an important part of taking care of your diabetes. Feeling stressed, sad, or angry is common when you live with diabetes. Stress can raise your blood glucose levels, but you can learn ways to lower your stress. Try deep breathing, gardening, taking a walk, doing yoga, meditating, doing a hobby, or listening to your favorite music.

Consider taking part in a diabetes education program or support group that teaches you techniques for managing stress. Learn more about healthy ways to cope with stress. Depression is common among people with a chronic, or long-term, illness. Depression can get in the way of your efforts to manage your diabetes.