healthy living tips for managing diabetes...management and lowering your risk of heart disease....

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Having a healthy lifestyle can be a priority for a variety of reasons. However, if you have been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s not just smart to put your health first, it’s vital to keeping your condition in check. Need some help getting on track? Here are some tips. Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), WebMD ® This information has been created and supplied to you courtesy of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. The information is general in nature and is intended to provide you with an overview of the wellness topic to help you and your family get and stay healthy. It is not intended as a substitute for the professional advice and care of your doctor. If you have any questions or concerns about your health or the health of any of your family members, consult your doctor. Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The Blue Cross ® and Blue Shield ® names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The Horizon ® name and symbols are registered marks of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. © 2017 Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. Three Penn Plaza East, Newark, New Jersey 07105. CMC0010707A (1117) HorizonBlue.com/gethealthy Drink responsibly and don’t smoke Be smart if you choose to drink. Alcohol can have an unpredictable effect on your blood sugar; it can cause it to go up or down. Plus, drinking alcohol to impairment can compromise your ability to control your blood sugar. While smoking isn’t healthy for anyone, diabetics do need to be aware of the added risk that can come from smoking. Since having diabetes already puts you at risk for other health conditions, such as heart disease, smoking can increase your overall risk. Follow a healthy diet and get moving As you probably know, your diet has a direct impact on your blood sugar. Your body converts carbohydrates into sugar, so limit your intake of them. Instead, choose vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Keep your meals about the same size and avoid overeating. Also, aim to get regular exercise throughout the week, since doing so has many benefits, including lowering blood sugar, helping with weight management and lowering your risk of heart disease. Practice good oral hygiene Be sure to brush and floss daily to keep your gums healthy and avoid complications. See the doctor Get regular physicals. Your doctor will likely check your cholesterol, blood pressure and A1C, a blood test that shows the average level of blood sugar. If you have diabetes, you also have an increased risk for depression, so be sure to talk to your doctor if you’ve noticed mood-related changes. Make sure you get regular exams for your eyes and feet, as diabetes can impact both. Alert the appropriate doctor regarding any changes since your last visit. Stay the treatment course If your doctor has given you a treatment plan, make sure you’re following it. If you have questions or concerns, discuss them with your doctor before making any changes. Stress less Avoid stress when you can. Not only can stress cause your blood sugar to climb, it also may limit how much attention you can give to managing your condition. Healthy Living Tips for Managing Diabetes

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Page 1: Healthy Living Tips for Managing Diabetes...management and lowering your risk of heart disease. Practice good oral hygiene Be sure to brush and floss daily to keep your gums healthy

Having a healthy lifestyle can be a priority for a variety of reasons. However, if you havebeen diagnosed with diabetes, it’s not just smart to put your health first, it’s vital tokeeping your condition in check. Need some help getting on track? Here are some tips.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), WebMD®

This information has been created and supplied to you courtesy of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. The information is general in nature and is intended to provide you with an overview of the wellness topic to help you and your family get and stayhealthy. It is not intended as a substitute for the professional advice and care of your doctor. If you have any questions or concerns about your health or the health of any of your family members, consult your doctor.Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The Blue Cross® and Blue Shield® names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The Horizon® name and symbols are registered marks of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. © 2017 Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. Three Penn Plaza East, Newark, New Jersey 07105. CMC0010707A (1117)

HorizonBlue.com/gethealthy

Drink responsibly and don’t smokeBe smart if you choose to drink. Alcohol can have anunpredictable effect on your blood sugar; it cancause it to go up or down. Plus, drinking alcohol toimpairment can compromise your ability to controlyour blood sugar.

While smoking isn’t healthy for anyone, diabetics do need to be aware of the added risk that can comefrom smoking. Since having diabetes already putsyou at risk for other health conditions, such as heartdisease, smoking can increase your overall risk.

Follow a healthy diet and get movingAs you probably know, your diet has a direct impacton your blood sugar. Your body convertscarbohydrates into sugar, so limit your intake ofthem. Instead, choose vegetables, fruits and wholegrains. Keep your meals about the same size andavoid overeating.

Also, aim to get regular exercise throughout theweek, since doing so has many benefits, includinglowering blood sugar, helping with weightmanagement and lowering your risk of heart disease.

Practice good oral hygieneBe sure to brush and floss daily to keep your gumshealthy and avoid complications.

See the doctorGet regular physicals. Your doctor will likely checkyour cholesterol, blood pressure and A1C, a bloodtest that shows the average level of blood sugar.

If you have diabetes, you also have an increased risk for depression, so be sure to talk to yourdoctor if you’ve noticed mood-related changes.

Make sure you get regular exams for your eyes andfeet, as diabetes can impact both. Alert theappropriate doctor regarding any changes since your last visit.

Stay the treatment courseIf your doctor has given you a treatment plan, make sure you’re following it. If you have questionsor concerns, discuss them with your doctor beforemaking any changes.

Stress lessAvoid stress when you can. Not only can stress causeyour blood sugar to climb, it also may limit how muchattention you can give to managing your condition.

Healthy LivingTips for ManagingDiabetes