Self care for diabetic patients
All patients with diabetes mellitus should be educated to practice self-care. This allows the patient to take some responsibility and control of his/her own diabetes management. Below is some suggestions of self care management:
- Blood glucose and blood pressure monitoring – today, more people can effort to buy blood pressure and blood glucose home monitoring. If you cannot effort to buy one, pay a visit to a nearby clinic or laboratory. Keep record of your blood sugar and blood pressure measurement. Show the record to your doctor during your follow up visit. This may help in the management of your diabetes.
- Body weight monitoring – Overweight people are increase risk to get cardiovascular disease. Record you body weight along with your measurement of blood sugar level and blood pressure.
- Foot care – Funny enough, people tend to forget about the foot which they use every day. Most probably because it is something that is very far away from the head so they tend to ignore it… The truth is, foot is very important. In diabetes patients, foot is prone for infection. Diabetic patients usually have decrease sensation at periphery (due to peripheral neuropathy). This is why the foot is susceptible for injury and expose to infection. Check your foot daily, use a mirror to look at difficult places. If you have poor eyesight, please ask someone to check it for you.
- Personal hygiene – Diabetic patients are prone to get infection, so, keep yourself clean.
- Diet and physical activity – the key is keeping a healthy lifestyle. Take diet with low calorie and less fat.
- Identify targets for control – each mission should have a target. Keep a diary and record your blood pressure and blood glucose level. Set a target level for your blood pressure and blood glucose level and give reasonable time to achieve it. Your doctor will help you to make this target.
- Stop smoking – everywhere you go, people will talk about smoking cessation. Even at the cigarette box has stated that smoking is not good for your health. So, why wait? Quit smoking now!
Other related article:
Reference:
- CPG Management of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Ministry of Health Malaysia. 3rd edition. 2004.
- Tao Le et al. first Aid for the Family medicine Boards. Mc Graw Hill. 2008.
Tags: diabetes, foot care, self care
Technorati Tags: diabetes, foot care, self care
How do you cope when your loved one has severe diabetes and does not take care of self?
He takes 2 types of insulin: long acting Lantis and short acting Humalog when numbers are up before eating..also Metformin pills…won’t exercise, is overweight, and eats huge amounts of food, sugar, carbs, fats. Also has cholesterol problems and history of heart disease. 58 years old. He does not believe the Dr. about the amount of danger he is in. Says he has faith that God will protect him and / or heal him. At the same time, says that it does not matter what he does because when God says it is your time, that’s it. (basically the ole when your number is up nothing you can do to help yourself) He also does not acknowledge that the Dr. has said there are many painful conditions that can happen before death.
Thanks.
I know it is a difficult situation for you, but sharing it with someone can help you to release the stress. You have to be extra patience. Don’t put too much hope, but you must not give up! Just spend as much time as you can with him. Be there. And let he knows that you are there. I am sure he will know that you care, and if he can, he will do anything to make you happy. One thing about diabetic patients, sometimes, they just have a good appetite and do not compliance to diabetic diet. You have to keep reminds him for that. One lesson that I’ve learned about coping, we have to learn to forgive, and it will surely ease the pain, and the wound will heal faster…
Being supportive always helps such as understand his situation and always be there when he is down. It’s a good thing that he have the faith for God. Bring him to the church. The pastor will know how to counsel him. That’s the best you could do for him, period. You have to accept the reality since he is a believer. Being a believer is a good thing that is optimistic.
I was once like that from the Poster above (Ryan) but after I discovered I’m Diabetic DM 1 due to ‘KS’ and now a very chronic neuropathy problem I can’t feel my 2 feet till above ankle and its pain indescribable, but I change all that by having small walk in afternoon although after that my feet hurt a lot but my sugar is well controlled. Its not base on faith alone you have to make those small sacrifices to see the little but positive changes to come true.
It’s very well written. Thanks to sharing the useful information….Keep blogging.
Diabetes is often accompanied by other diseases such as gout. Greasy food and overeating are guilty for both diseases. Be careful and beware.
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My Dad was diagnosed with Diabetes a few years ago; he has since developed Diabetic Neuropathy too. Both conditions are devastating and progressive unless you treat them. He has made huge changes to his lifestyle and tries to only eat natural and raw foods. He exercises about 3 to 4 times a week (including walking/jogging/cycling). He uses an electrical device to treat the Neuropathy in his legs and feet which has resulted in him being pain free. We (his family) have tried to be as supportive as possible which is especially difficult for him and for us sometimes especially when he wants to be stubborn and doesn’t listen to good advice! You do need patience and practice. It’s the old habits that need to be changed and that takes, time, perseverance, dedications and willingness.
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he best way to get some of those lost nutrients is by eating some uncooked raw vegetables. You could have a salad for example. You can also get some of your foods from natural health food stores like Whole Food Market or Trader Joe’s. You can also take vitamin and mineral supplements instead. However, unlike food sources, you can overdose taking supplements.
Be persistent, persevere and keep it up – it won’t be easy as a diabetic but some sacrifices are necessary!
well this raw foods are the great source of all the nutrients and help people to maintain there diet so i advice to all that try to add some raw food into there diet in order to being fit and healthy. keep it up
well its all about how you take the things,if he says that this is my time then he is wrong. Life is like a battle one has to fight till his last breath. He has to take things positive and start taking care off. He can live longer if he starts killing diabetes.
health vs wealth 2…
how to shed weight without those long hours in the gymnasium…
Thanks very much for putting together this great site….