Daily Management of Diabetes
Lourdes Health System believes that education is the best weapon in controlling diabetes. Its experienced physicians, nurses and other staff members—and its ABC Diabetes Education Program—can help patients address the day-to-day challenges of caring for diabetes. Every-day goals for persons with diabetes should include:
- Finding and using affordable sources of any needed drugs, including finding generic sources.
- Demonstrating proficiency and consistency in using a glucometer and
testing strips for daily blood-sugar monitoring. This means:
- finding affordable sources of strips, including through insurance plans, Medicare programs and online suppliers;
- using good-quality, accurate strip brands;
- understanding target glucose levels; and
- knowing what to do with the results and how to take action.
- Understanding the best, safest methods for raising and lowering blood-sugar levels, including through regular diet practices—and acting on good carbohydrate counseling, to know if and when carbs can be okay.
- Putting to use what individuals with diabetes need to know about shoes and removable inserts for shoes.
- Integrating exercise into the weekly routine (including, as possible, exercising through pain from other conditions, such as arthritis).
- Managing insulin pumps and daily injections.
- Finding care solutions that work for children with diabetes and helping them to manage the condition around school, sports and other activities.
- Working on coping mechanisms and on maintaining a positive thinking.
Lourdes Health System offers a diabetes-education program, open to all. Participating in the program can be extremely helpful for patients, and Lourdes urges individuals who have diabetes, or who are at high risk for diabetes, to enroll. This effective, well-designed series looks at managing diabetes, and seeks to simplify and explain this widespread health challenge.
An individual's primary healthcare provider or diabetes specialist is a great source for the individual with diabetes to master these and other routine aspects of diabetes self-care. Lourdes ABC Diabetes Education Program also covers these and many other facets of living with diabetes.
