Once you are diagnosed, you can start taking steps to get your health
under control and avoid long-term complications with type 2 diabetes.
Take charge of the situation by learning as much as you can about your
condition and how to best manage it.
What you do next will depend on what stage of type 2 diabetes you
are in. In the early stages, or with prediabetes, you may be able to
control your blood glucose with a healthier
diet and more exercise .
Aside from managing the physical aspects of diabetes, it is also
important to be aware of the effects of diabetes on your emotional
health. Tackling type 2 diabetes head-on can be stressful and
overwhelming, and ignoring these negative feelings can make the
physical and emotional problems worse. Emotional well-being and
physical health are closely connected in diabetes, so it is vital
that you take care of both.
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Depression/Anxiety It's normal to feel low occasionally, but
persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness need to be addressed
as they can prevent good diabetes self-care
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Stress Stress causes your blood glucose levels to rise as
your body releases stored glucose supplies into your bloodstream in
preparation for 'fight or flight'
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Sleep problems Poor sleeping habits and not getting enough
sleep can also negatively impact your blood glucose levels
Getting the support you need from your healthcare team, family and
friends is a critical part of managing your diabetes. Remember,
reaching out for help is not a sign of weakness, but a sign that you
are proactively taking control of type 2 diabetes.
Stress is extremely common when you have type 2 diabetes, but you can
do something about it. Meet Ken, who is living with type 2 diabetes.
After making the connection between stress and his blood glucose
numbers, Ken learned to reduce his stress levels in order to improve
his blood glucose control and overall health.
Hear Ken talk about his experiences with stress, fluctuating numbers
and hypos.