Diabetes is a very tricky disease. Once your body stops producing insulin to regulate your blood sugar, it can spike dramatically or crash suddenly depending on how you eat and how active you are. Your body still needs ample food and energy, but you need to be very careful of what you’re putting into your body.

1) When you think of white foods, you probably think of things like rolls, biscuits, bread, sugar, and other starchy items. Well, these are great foods to avoid. You definitely don’t want anything to do with simple carbohydrates. These carbs will cause blood sugar spikes in healthy people. For people with diabetes, these spikes are exponentially more dangerous.

2) As alluded to in the first tip, you need to understand the difference between a simple carb and a complex carb. A complex carbohydrate (whole wheat, grain, brown rice and pasta, etc) will take a long time for the body to break down. This means that the sugar is released slowly over a longer duration. White sugar, a simple carb, is burned up quickly and thus released all at once.

3) You should not only cut down on the simple sugars, but your overall carbohydrate consumption should fall. If you were just on a diet, then complex carbs would be fine. But since your body isn’t producing the hormone that regulates your blood sugar, even too many complex carbs can be very dangerous for you. It’s better to cut back across the board.

4) A lot of people who miss a dose of insulin will double dose the next day or just attempt to catch up in some other way. This is very bad for you. Insulin is given regularly because your body needs to regulate its blood sugar. Missing doses, even by a few hours, can throw your system completely off.

5) Insulin may not be the only type of medicine you take. Just because you have diabetes doesn’t mean that you won’t be stricken with any other type of illness. So if you’re taking any other type of medicine at all, make sure that you’re reading the ingredients carefully. Avoid medications containing sugar.

6) Alcohol, for all its effects, is essentially just sugar. Especially when dealing with beer or wine, you are ingesting a whole lot of sugar. Some diabetics will drink alcohol because they claim it actually makes them feel better. Well, they are tempting fate in a big way. You should limit your alcohol consumption drastically.

7) As with the tip above about insulin, the whole idea there is that your body needs to regulate its blood glucose levels. The same holds true with your diet. If you’re not eating regularly, your body isn’t receiving glucose regularly. This means you’re in danger of throwing your system off track.

Sugar is not needed to make things taste sweet. With a ton of artificial sweeteners on the market, and even sweeteners that are actually made of sugar, you can get your fill of sweet-tasting items without having to ingest a single carbohydrate.

9) Because your body needs to regulate its sugar, it might seem contradictory to eat many meals and snacks throughout the day. However, we’re talking about small meals and small snacks. Constantly feeding the body will ensure that you always have some blood sugar, just not a lot of it. Remember, low blood sugar is the big danger with diabetes.

10) Whether you have a new-age monitor that can draw blood from the arm, or even if you’re stuck with sticking your finger, it’s important that your glucose levels are checked regularly. You should be checking at least two times per day.

Diabetes can be maintained as long as you’re serious about staying out in front of the disease. Remember to implement the advice you have learned here if you want to fight back against this disease.

You can manage your diabetes by following these eight steps. Take notes and do more research to adapt your lifestyle to your diabetes.

Carry glucose test strips or a monitor anywhere you go, along with insulin. Use these supplies to keep track of your glucose levels throughout your day, especially after exercising or eating. Do some research about how low glucose levels affect your body and how insulin functions. It is important that you understand your condition and know what to do in certain situations. Try different products and find one that is affordable and efficient.

Exercising regularly is important; it will help you maintain a healthy weight. Any kind of exercise is good for you. Look for things you enjoy and design a complete fitness program. Start with easy exercises and work out more as you start getting in shape. Your goal should be to stay active and build muscles, since more muscle mass means more space to store glucose.

Eat three balanced meals throughout your day. If you skip a meal, your glucose level will be hard to maintain. Every meal should contain elements from the four food groups and a reasonable amount of fat and sugar. Carry healthy snacks with you in case you need to raise your glucose level; choose a fruit or nuts instead of a candy bar.

Read the labels of the foods you buy; watch out for high amounts of carbohydrates, sugar and fat. Avoid alternatives such as high fructose corn syrup. Stay away from soda and fruit drinks; these products contain a dangerous amount of sugar. Eat a small amount of carbohydrates to get some energy, but you should replace carbs with foods rich in whole grains and fibers instead.

Stay hydrated throughout the day. Drinking water will help you stay away from other unhealthy drinks and eliminate toxins from your body. Buy mineral bottled water instead of drinking tap water.

Go to your doctor at least once a month. Talk about the efforts you have made to manage your condition and ask your questions. If you notice anything unusual, you should go to your doctor right away. Schedule regular appointments with your dentist too, since diabetes increases your risk for gum disease. Going to a foot care specialist is also a good idea; you might want to get special shoes if your feet need more protection and comfort.

Having diabetes does not mean you cannot have a normal life. At first, you might feel stressed and unsure of what to do, but as you learn more about diabetes you will find out that you can manage this condition and avoid complications. Adopt a positive attitude and make new friends who have diabetes too if you need support.

Always be prepared and establish a routine. Once you get into the habit of checking your glucose levels or inspecting your feet for cuts and sores, living with diabetes will seem much easier.

Follow these eight tips and do more research about diabetes. You will be able to remain healthy if you adopt a lifestyle that is suitable for your condition.