5 Ways to Make Living With Diabetes Easier

There are times when living with diabetes can be a real downer. It’s incredibly frustrating to have to live your life around blood glucose checks and insulin injections, to carefully plan every meal, to meticulously check your feet, “just in case.” However, there are a few steps you can take to make the process a little less painful.

Download an App

From nutrition advice to tracking blood sugar levels, there are a number of awesome apps available to help you keep your diabetes in check. Like with all apps, many leave a lot to be desired, but that doesn’t mean they don’t offer some benefit. Here are a few free versions I’ve stumbled across:

• mySugr Diabetes Logbook | iPhone | Android
• Glucose Buddy | iPhone | Android
• MyDittoLife | iPhone | Android
• Glucose Companion | iPhone
• Diabetes in Check | iPhone
• BG Monitor | Android

Be sure to read user reviews carefully to find an app that will work for your situation.

Take a Class

Knowledge is power, and educating yourself on the intricacies of your disease will help to prepare you for any situation. After all, people who have received diabetes education are more likely to use primary care and preventive services, take their medications as prescribed, and control their blood glucose levels. A proper education will empower you to take charge of your diabetes so that you can live a healthy, fulfilling life.

You can find a workshop in your area, or if you prefer, you can take a free online course.

Join a Support Group

You don’t need me to tell you that living with diabetes can be irritating, exhausting, and just plain painful. When you really need someone to talk to — someone who inherently understands what you’re going through — a support group may be the answer. Here are resources to help you find support online or in the real world:

• TypeOneNation (online)
• tuDiabetes.org (online)
• American Diabetes Association: In My Community (Events & Camps)
• Defeat Diabetes Foundation: Diabetes Support Groups (Find one in your area!)
• Starting a Diabetes Support Group

Invest in Some Cookbooks

In the age of the internet it might seem kind of ridiculous to pay for cookbooks when there are free recipes to be found right and left. Call me old fashioned, though, there’s just something about having a solid book in my hand (or rather, on the counter) when I’m cooking. Here are a few of my favorites:

• The American Diabetes Association Diabetes Comfort Food Cookbook by Robyn Webb
• 1,000 Diabetes Recipes by Jackie Mills
• The Big Book of Diabetic Desserts by Jackie Mills
• Biggest Book of Diabetic Recipes: More than 350 Great-Tasting Recipes for Living Well with Diabetes by Better Homes & Gardens
• Diabetic Slow Cooker by Diabetic Living Editors
• Diabetes Meals by the Plate: 90 Low-Carb Meals to Mix & Match by Diabetic Living Editors
• 300 15-Minute Low-Carb Recipes: Hundreds of Delicious Meals That Let You Live Your Low-Carb Lifestyle and Never Look Back by Dana Carpender

Not into spending money on a cookbook? Gather your favorite recipes and organize them with a program (my favorite is Evernote) or jot them down in a notebook to create your own cookbook!

Try Complementary Therapies

I’m a huge supporter of modern medicine — many diabetics would be dead without it. The following suggestions are meant to be used only as an addition to blood glucose monitoring, medicine, proper diet, and regular doctor’s visits. Do not stop your current care regimen unless instructed by your physician!

• Acupuncture can help with the pain of neuropathy (diabetic nerve damage).
• Regular massages can also help with neuropathy, as well as reducing heart rate, blood pressure, and stress!
• Try hyperbaric oxygen therapy to prevent the poor blood circulation and nerve damage that lead to foot ulcers.

While diabetes will always be part of your daily life, it doesn’t always have to take center stage. Listen to your doctors, monitor your blood glucose, adjust if needed, and then get out there and enjoy the world. You never know what might happen!