Newly diagnosed with diabetes?

If you’re newly diagnosed with diabetes, there’s a good chance you’re wondering how on earth you got into this situation in the first place. While there’s no common diabetes cause, there are a multitude of triggers (sometimes working together) that can lead to a diabetes diagnosis.  

• Genes 
• Environmental factors 
• Viral/bacterial infection 
• Chemical toxins (sometimes in food) 

• Family history 
• Obesity 
• Physical inactivity 
• Increasing age 
• Bad diet 
• Pregnancy 

In short, a diabetes diagnosis could have its roots in genetic makeup, family history, environmental factors and even ethnicity. ^5,6

No matter which type of diabetes you’ve been diagnosed with, there are certain things you can do overnight to help improve your diagnosis.

• Watch your carbs  
  Once eaten, carbohydrates are broken down by the body and turned into glucose. As a person with diabetes, you need to carefully manage your blood sugar levels and ensure they stay below a dangerous level. Managing your carbohydrate intake is a great way to do this.
  

• Be mindful of portion size  
  A low glycaemic index (GI) diet can help you manage blood sugar levels and managing the quantity of food you eat is certainly a great start when it comes to reducing your sugar intake.

• Move your body  
  Exercise is a recommended way to move glucose out of your blood and into your cells. Try to map out an exercise routine that’ll fit into your everyday life and slowly increase your physical fitness. ⁷

Alongside medication and/or insulin treatment plans, the above lifestyle changes can go a long way when it comes to managing diabetes. Always speak with your healthcare professional to ensure you’re making positive changes. 

Eating less sugar, exercising more and making a conscious effort to control your portion size is all well and good, but unless you know how to test your blood sugar levels you won’t be able to track your progress. 

Blood sugar levels can be tested in several ways: 

• Finger-prick test  
  Pierce the skin with a small needle (lancet) to draw blood for testing. ⁸

• Flash glucose monitor   
  Small sensor worn under the skin that can be scanned for a blood sugar level reading. ⁹
  

• Continuous glucose monitor  
  Small device under the skin that continuously measures your blood sugar levels and relays data to a device. Learn about continual glucose monitoring, digital health and diabetes. ⁹

Remember, you’re not alone! It takes a team of dedicated healthcare professionals to ensure you’re keeping on top of your diabetes, and everyone’s there to ensure you lead a ‘normal’ life.¹⁰

Going from hardly having any contact with healthcare workers to liaising with a team of professionals may be slightly alarming at first.¹⁰ Below are just some of the friendly faces who could help tailor your diabetes treatment plan:

• Primary care doctor 
• Endocrinologist 
• Foot doctor 
• Pharmacist 
• Eye doctor  
• Nurse 
• Dietitian 
• Diabetes educator

Regular visits with your diabetes care team not only helps you manage every aspect of living with diabetes but also provides a real sense of comfort knowing you’re in good hands.