New Year’s Resolutions for Diabetes Management
Healthful Vitality | 01/06/2023 | New Year’s Resolutions for Diabetes Management.
New Year is a great time when you have fun and may stay home with your family or go to a killer party. But the last page of the calendar reminds you that the coming year will undoubtedly bring you some changes. So it is a great time to consider New Year’s resolutions for diabetes management for people with diabetes.
Usually, we associate these changes with a happy and healthy life. We want to be better, healthier, and more successful the following year. We believe New Year’s resolution is a nice thing that can help to plan for a year of achievement.
Basically, New Year’s resolution is a goal or task you want to accomplish. According to Cambridge Dictionary, it is a promise you make to yourself to start doing something good or stop doing something bad on the first day of the year.
This may surprise you, but New Year’s resolution is not a new phenomenon. It actually dates back to the civilization of Babylon approximately 4000 years ago. The ancient people used to make promises to the gods in return for a favor next year.
Today, about 44 % of Americans make a New Year’s resolution before the night is over. Moreover, most of them believe that resolution may add bright colors to their year.
New Year’s resolutions for diabetes management
Living with diabetes is difficult enough as a person must consider a number of factors. Life with a disease can be stressful, but this is not a reason to pause normal activities.
New Year’s resolution may help you organize your day and live well with your condition. If so happened, and you have diabetes, here are some ideas to think of when you make your New Year’s resolutions for 2023:
10 % weight loss in a year
There are so many advantages to losing extra pounds of body weight. Indeed, including a 10 % weight loss in a year in your New Year’s resolutions for diabetes management is critical. It can help the insulin start working properly, that is, reduce insulin resistance. Also, losing any excess weight will help you reduce the risk of complications. If your body weight decreases by 5-10%, your blood pressure, and cholesterol levels improve significantly.
To start losing weight safely, you should find out what your healthy weight is and what number you want to get. Remember that exercise and an active lifestyle are the keys to success. Thirty minutes a day, at least five times a week, will help you reach and maintain your normal weight.
In addition, schedule your meals, especially breakfast. If you miss breakfast, you may overeat later. This may lead to blood sugar fluctuations which are not very good. Also, count your calories and cut if you eat too much fat. Make sure you eat enough food that is rich in dietary fiber.
Switch to a healthy diet plan
If you have diabetes, you need to develop a healthy eating plan. Switching to a healthy diet plan must be a part of your New Year’s resolutions for diabetes management. It is necessary even for people with normal body weight. A diabetes diet includes three regular meals a day.
First of all, focus on healthy carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and low-fat dairy products. Also, add dietary fiber-rich foods, fish, avocado, nuts, and olive oil to your plate. Pay attention that there are some products you must avoid. They are butter, sausage, French fries, pastry, high-hat dairy, high-fat animal proteins, and sugar.
Boost cardiovascular health
One of the most significant issues with those living with diabetes is a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular ailments. Hence, they should make a plan to boost their cardiorespiratory health. The higher risk of cardiovascular ailments is due to many reasons like dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, and autonomous neuropathy. Therefore, those living with diabetes must focus on improving vascular elasticity. This will help lower blood pressure, heart attack, stroke risk, and more.
Though there are tens of ways to boost cardiorespiratory health, below are two new year’s resolutions for boosting cardiorespiratory fitness when living with diabetes. Moreover, these are achievable for most people.
Preparation for a 5 km run
Running is one of the simplest exercises. You do not need much to start running – only a good mood, a pair of running shoes, and your favorite music playing through your headphones. Preparing to run will help you avoid injuries and achieve your running goals faster.
Start with a running schedule. Realize that you should increase the amount of running time by 10 % each week on average. Before you run, do stretching exercises. It will help warm up your muscles. And do not forget to drink plenty of water even if it is a cold day or you don’t sweat.
Do not torture yourself. Remember, running must be comfortable. If you feel bad, take a break.
Stress management
Stress is typical for 75 % of Americans. At least three out of four people experienced symptoms of stress during the past month. Stress management is very important for people with diabetes, as feelings of anxiety or tension affect your blood sugar levels. The beginning of the year is the perfect time to improve your stress management skills.
Relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation are good things to start with. Practice only 10-15 minutes a day, and you will see the difference. Take breaks to re-organize and re-energize your potential.
Socialize with other people, meet your friends, and do not avoid public events if you have a possibility. Spending time with close people will help you ease stress. In addition, community service can sometimes bring you positive energy and helps you cope with stress.
New Year’s Resolutions to know your numbers
Great objectives for your New Year’s resolutions regard regular doctor visits and understanding some crucial numbers in your blood tests. Remember that many people fail to act, as they do not monitor their health.
Regular doctor visits
Even if your diabetes is well managed, visit a doctor every 3-6 months for a regular check-up. If you find that your blood sugar level is higher than usual, a doctor may appoint the next visit earlier.
Discuss with your doctor your diabetes management plan considering your individual needs. And do not hesitate to ask questions if you have any.
At the same time, get ready to answer the questions about your current symptoms, family history, and everyday habits like diet, exercise, or blood sugar level.
If you are using insulin to manage your diabetes, you will probably face the biggest problem with giving injections. A doctor or a nurse will show you how to do it. And, of course, ask for an explanation of how to store insulin.
Keep track of your vitals
Living with diabetes means having regular blood tests. A person should understand some numbers to be aware of the health condition.
A1C shows your average blood sugar level for the previous three months. This test shows how your diabetes treatment works. One should have an A1C test at least twice a year. It would help if you kept your A1C level below seven, as recommended by the American Diabetes Association.
Monitoring blood pressure is very important for people with diabetes as they are more likely to develop heart disease. In addition, it is recommended to keep blood pressure below 140/80 mm HG or below 130/80 mm HG if you suffer from kidney or eye disease.
Cholesterol is another important number to observe. Blood cholesterol levels concern a group of fats. It includes HDL-C, or “good cholesterol,” and LDL-C, or “bad cholesterol.” Total cholesterol should be below 200.
New Year’s Resolution to improve your hygiene and habits
Factors such as lack of physical exercise, poor diet, lack of sleep, and insufficient attention to hygiene increase the risk of diabetes and diabetes complications. Moreover, those living with diabetes are prone to skin infections and poorly healing ulcers.
Some New Year’s resolutions may concern the improvement of your hygiene and habits. Here are some of them:
Manage your daily routine
Keeping your blood sugar depends on your daily routine. Do not skip breakfast, and have enough sleep. The food will give you the necessary energy for the day. And sleep will help your body regenerate and restore.
Do not sit the whole day in from of the computer. Instead, go for a walk or do some exercise. Physical activity will help you stay active and emotionally resilient.
Quitting smoking
Smoking can increase your risk of diabetes complications. Diabetes is bad for blood vessels, and nicotine is awful. Nicotine considerably increases the risk of damage to small blood vessels and clot formation.
Cigarette smoking also harms non-diabetics, increasing their risk of developing diabetes by almost 40%.
Vaping is indeed relatively safer, but not entirely. Vaping liquids containing nicotine is also bad for vascular health.
Drink alcohol responsibly
Alcohol is the most commonly abused substance. It is still among the leading causes of death in young adults. Alcohol increases the risk of severe health issues like diabetic nerve damage or diabetic eye disease. If you choose to drink alcohol, drink it responsibly.
Protect your feet
Diabetes can cause nerve damage and, as a result, blood flow lowers to your feet. This means it is imperative to take care of your feet properly. Keep them clean and moisturized. Wear only comfortable footwear and give preference to closed shoes. Also, check your feet for any cuts or blisters. If you are prone to foot infections, visiting a podiatrist may help.
Take medications as prescribed
If you have diabetes, following your doctor’s instructions is very important. The vast majority of people living with diabetes fail to meet their targets as they do not regularly take prescribed pills.
Suppose you face problems with it and forget to take your medication, set reminders, or use a pillbox. Sometimes you may ask your friend or family member to remind you about the injection.
New Year’s Resolutions to learn more about diabetes
Diabetes is a complicated and chronic health problem. Chronic health disorders are best managed when patients have adequate disease knowledge. Managing diabetes requires regular or daily efforts.
At first, you may have many questions about diet, physical activity, or your habits. In such cases, it is good to know that you are not alone and even there are possibilities to learn more about your disease.
Attend diabetes class
Having diabetes means you need more information. Ask your doctor or nurse about free diabetes classes in your community. Diabetes education will help you manage your lifestyle and make your life more qualitative. You will be more confident about your health condition. Also, you may meet people with the same problem.
Obviously, you may need such classes if you face some changes in your life, like emotional factors or a new health issue. Coaches will help you cope with the difficulties, and you will be able to live a longer and healthier life.
Online courses
When you start searching the information about diabetes, you encounter many online courses. Since diabetes is widespread, affecting so many people, many worlds’ leading experts or public organizations provide online courses on diabetes. They help you form lifelong skills and know the latest advancements in diabetes treatment.
There is a wide variety of such courses. Some of them deal with lifestyle, medicines, food to eat, physical exercise plans, or stress management tips. Other courses present diabetes from an aging perspective. Anyway, the courses are designed to prepare you to manage chronic disease.
How to keep your New Year’s resolutions for diabetes management?
According to statistics, more than half of all resolutions fail. It may happen that you break your promise though you have the New Year’s resolutions for diabetes management in place to consider this year. But your health condition is a serious reason to keep your New Year’s resolution. So, what can you do to achieve your goal? Below are some tips to keep your New Year’s resolution.
Tips for keeping your New Year’s resolutions for diabetes management
- Set a goal. Be more specific and focus on something more concrete that you can realistically reach. For example, do not plan to “lose weight” but think of “10 % weight loss in a year”.
- Be flexible. If you set a goal to lose 10 % of body weight, but in 8 months, you see that you lost 5 %, do not be upset. It is an actionable and realistic goal. Do not stop, and be ready to make more efforts. Remember, even if you achieve 7% weight loss at the end of the year, which is still good enough.
- Be ready for obstacles. Any process has obstacles and building a healthy lifestyle as well. For example, exercising may bring you physical pain. Dieting may lead to temporary hunger. Identify obstacles accurately and plan your activities to achieve the goal.
- Get a friend. Think of a group resolution and find a family member, friend, or professional to help you keep the resolution.
Your goals in the coming year are important, and we wish you great success in achieving them. Good luck with your resolutions!
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