LIFEMASTERS PROVIDES HEALTHY TIPS FOR INDIVIDUALS
LIVING WITH DIABETES
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., November 12, 2007 – In recognition of American Diabetes Month, LifeMasters — a national leading provider of disease management programs and services — encourages individuals to keep up with routine self-checks and stay active to prevent complications from diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, 20.8 million children and adults have diabetes, and another 54 million people have pre-diabetes. Diabetes can result in heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness or lower limb amputation.
“Learning to manage your diabetes is something that takes personal commitment, but it’s worth your time and effort,” said Mary Jane Osmick, M.D., medical director at LifeMasters. “Once you learn to better manage your blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol and weight by keeping them in the right ranges, you can decrease your risk of diabetes complications. Make sure you get your A1c test at least twice a year and keep your number under 7.”
Dr. Osmick provides the following tips for individuals to take better control of their diabetes.
LifeMasters Tips for Diabetes Health Management
- Control your blood glucose level: Uncontrolled blood glucose (the amount of sugar circulating in your blood) can damage your eyes, kidneys, the circulation in your feet, your nerves and even your heart. Learn to test your blood glucose at home and if you do not know how to do it, ask your doctor or health coach to teach you. There is another blood test called an A1c that is a critical marker of longer term blood glucose control. The A1c gives you a view of your blood glucose level over 3 months. The A1c should be below 7, and in some cases lower. Make sure to get an A1c at least twice a year, or more if your doctor orders it. Talk to your doctor about your A1c test and find out what level is best for you. When your blood glucose and A1c are under control, it helps protect the rest of your body from complications of diabetes.
- Stop smoking: Diabetes adds to your risk of blood vessel disease (for instance, heart attack and stroke). Smoking adds to these already increased risks of diabetes. It is not easy to quit, but quitting is one of the best things you can do for your health. If you smoke, work with your doctor to help you quit. Remember, it may take you many tries to quit, but each time you try, you get closer to becoming a non-smoker. After all, that is the goal.
- Care for your feet: Protect your feet! Diabetes can affect the blood vessels and nerves in your feet. This can lead to loss of feeling in your feet and make you prone to infection. Make sure to check your feet daily for sores, cuts, blisters or ingrown toenails. If you see any changes in the skin or nails, let your doctor know right away. Your doctor may want you to go to a foot doctor (podiatrist) for care. Take off your socks and look at your feet at least once a day. Make sure to check all over, between your toes, even on the bottom. If you cannot do this, or cannot see the bottom of your feet, ask someone to help you, or use a mirror. Keep your feet protected with clean socks and always wear shoes. One last very important tip – if you soak your feet in a bath, be sure to test the water temperature before soaking to avoid inadvertent scalding of your skin.
- Work with your doctor to follow a healthy diet and manage your weight: Your healthcare provider can recommend a diet to balance your food intake with your insulin and oral diabetes medications. If possible, work with a nutritionist/dietitian to help you understand how best to control your blood glucose, eat well, and shed those extra pounds. Pick foods that are high in fiber (you will feel full longer), minerals and vitamins, such as vegetables (for example spinach, carrots, broccoli or green beans) and fruits. Ask your doctor or nutritionist about which, and how much fruit to eat, since all fruits have sugar in them, which will increase blood sugar if you eat too much. Add whole grains and non-fat dairy to your diet. Remember, the key to healthy eating and weight control is balancing what you eat with the calories you burn in activity.
- Control your cholesterol and blood lipids: Since diabetes makes you prone to blood vessel disease, it is important to control your cholesterol and blood lipids. Work with your doctor to order the blood lipid tests (Total Cholesterol, LDL-c, HDL and Triglycerides) and learn your numbers and how to improve them. Eating a low-fat, balanced carbohydrate (starch and sugar) diet will help control your blood lipids. Many people with diabetes will have to take a medication to control their blood lipids. Ask you doctor if your blood lipids are at the goals set by the American Diabetes Association. Prevention of blood vessel disease is the best way to avoid the complications of diabetes.
- Get an annual dilated eye exam: Diabetes can affect the blood vessels in your eyes. Make sure you see an eye doctor at least once a year to get a dilated eye exam (the doctor will put drops in your eyes to enlarge the pupil). These annual eye exams let you know if diabetes is affecting your eyes and can prevent blindness. Remember, if you ever experience a change in vision, call your eye doctor immediately.
- Aspirin – Ask your doctor if you should be taking aspirin every day. Aspirin has been shown to protect against the risks of heart attack, which occurs commonly in people with diabetes.
- Stay active: Staying active on a regular basis can help you control not only your blood sugar levels, but also will help control your weight. Wear comfortable shoes and take a walk or choose an activity that you like. Be active with a buddy to help you stick to your program. Work with your doctor or nutritionist to help you prevent low blood glucose during exercise. Always carry a snack with you during exercise in case you experience low blood glucose. Also, drink plenty of water during exercise. Get out there!
- Practice good skin-care habits: According to the American Diabetes Association, almost one-third of individuals with diabetes will have a skin disorder caused or affected by their condition at some point in time. High-glucose levels tend to cause dry skin and make you less able to fend off bacteria that often enter through the skin. Make sure you keep your skin clean and dry and avoid using very hot water when bathing. It is important to keep your skin moisturized, especially during the colder winter months. If you do notice a break or cut in your skin, clean and dry the area and keep it covered until it is fully healed.
- Manage your stress: Stress is part of everyone’s life, but some people handle it better than others. Did you know that stress can alter you blood glucose levels? So keeping stress at bay is an important part of any diabetes management program. If you feel yourself becoming stressed, take a break for a few minutes to do some simple breathing exercises, go for a walk, or listen to your favorite music.
- Read up on diabetes: The best defense to prevent diabetes or keep it from becoming worse, is to stay informed. Learn about diabetes complication warnings signs and how to take better care of yourself. Work with your doctor to understand the many ways that diabetes can affect your body and take active steps to lower each risk. Take responsibility for your health and lifestyle decisions, such as what you eat, whether you smoke, and the amount of exercise you get. Make a yearly plan with your doctor to get all the required tests, and then track the results and improve them over time. The Internet and health magazines are filled with helpful information. Remember, it is up to you how your health journey will unfold. Take an active role in maintaining your health.
About LifeMasters Supported SelfCare, Inc.
LifeMasters Supported SelfCare, Inc. is a leading provider of health promotion and disease management programs and services that create health partnerships among individuals, their physicians and payors. Its mission is to empower individuals to achieve and maintain optimal health. The programs improve quality of care for people with risk factors and chronic conditions, reduce healthcare cost trends for payors and provide decision-support tools and information for physicians. LifeMasters offers programs for individuals with diabetes, congestive heart failure (CHF), coronary artery disease (CAD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension and asthma (all of which are fully accredited by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and URAC), cancer, metabolic syndrome and musculo-skeletal pain. LifeMasters’ programs are holistically focused, support co-morbidities such as depression and facilitate lifestyle changes such as smoking cessation and weight loss. LifeMasters provides services to over 650,000 people throughout the nation.
Founded in 1994 by a physician, LifeMasters works with some of the nation’s leading health plans, employers, retirement systems and governmental organizations, including Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio, and Presbyterian Health Services in New Mexico. More information about LifeMasters can be found at www.lifemasters.com or by calling 1-800-777-1307.
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