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Learn
About 7 Principles for Controlling
Your Diabetes for Life |
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This information will help you
learn about 7 principles
for good diabetes care.
These principles are the steps you
can take to control your diabetes. Every person who has diabetes has
different needs. Talk to your doctor about a treatment plan that is
best for you. When you have diabetes, controlling it can help you
live a long and active life.
It Is Important
to Control Diabetes
Taking good care of diabetes can
lower the chances of getting:
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Eye disease
that can lead to a loss of vision or even blindness |
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Kidney failure |
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Heart disease |
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Nerve damage
that may cause a loss of feeling or pain in the hands, feet,
legs, or other parts of the body |
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Stroke |
As you read this brochure, look for
things that start with a 
to help you learn how to control your diabetes.
Take this
brochure with you when you go to your doctor.
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Principle 1:
Find Out What Type of Diabetes You Have
If you have diabetes, you should
know what type you have. If you do not know, ask your doctor whether
you have:
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Type 1
diabetes. People who have this type of diabetes need to take
insulin every day. This type of diabetes used to be called
juvenile diabetes. |
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Type 2
diabetes. This type of diabetes can often be controlled by
the food you eat and regular physical activity. Some people
may also need to take diabetes pills or insulin. This type
of diabetes used to be called adult onset diabetes. |
Your doctor may use some terms that
are no longer used to describe diabetes. If your doctor uses any of
these, ask whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Terms that are no longer used
include:
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"a touch of
diabetes"
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"borderline diabetes"
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"sugar's a little
high"
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Many People Who
Have Diabetes Do Not Know It
Finding and treating diabetes early
can prevent health problems later on. Some people are at higher risk
for diabetes than others. Risk factors for diabetes include:
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Being older
than 45 |
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Being
overweight |
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Having a close
family member, like a parent, brother, or sister, who has,
or had, diabetes |
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Having had
diabetes when you were pregnant |
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Being African
American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian American or Pacific
Islander, or Native American
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Find
out from your doctor what type of diabetes you have. |
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If
your doctor describes your diabetes with a term that is no
longer used, ask the doctor whether you have type 1 or type
2 diabetes. |
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If
you know someone who has any of the risk factors for
diabetes, tell them to ask their doctor about getting tested
for diabetes. |
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Principle 2:
Get Regular Care for Your Diabetes
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the statements that you think are true. People with diabetes
should: |
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Always receive
high-quality care. |
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Work with
health care providers to make changes to their treatment
plan when needed. |
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See a doctor,
diabetes educator, or a nutritionist on a regular basis. |
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Be able to get
their health care needs taken care of regardless of their
race, age, disability, or ability to pay. |
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Get support
from family, friends, and co-workers. |
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Be able to get
insurance and a license. |
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Be treated
fairly at work. |
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Be able to get
Medicare to help pay for diabetes supplies if they are on
Medicare. |
All of the statements are true.
You have the right to get the best
health care to help you control your diabetes.
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Ask
your doctor or nurse how often you need to see them for a
check-up. |
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Write
down the date and time for your next visit:
___________________________________ |
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Ask
your doctor or clinic staff to help you find resources if
you have problems paying for food, medicines, and medical
supplies. |
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Make
a list of things you want to talk about at your next visit
to the doctor or clinic. |
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___________________________________ |
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___________________________________ |
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___________________________________ |
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Principle 3:
Learn How
to Control Your Diabetes
You and your family have the right
to get correct information from your doctor and other health care
providers to help you learn how to control your diabetes.
How Active Are
You in Controlling Your Diabetes?
Look at the list below. Check all
of the boxes that describe you.
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I ask my doctor
for accurate information about my diabetes. |
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I have talked
with my doctor about other people, like a nutritionist and
diabetes educator, who can help me learn to control my
diabetes. |
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I ask the
diabetes educator and nutritionist about diet and other ways
to control my diabetes. |
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I talk to my
doctor regularly about my special needs and controlling my
diabetes. |
If you checked everything on the
list above, you are taking an active role in learning how to control
your diabetes. If you did not check everything on the list, ask your
doctor about things that you should do to learn more about how to
control your diabetes. Learning how to control your diabetes can
help you stay healthy.
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Ask
your doctor about where to go to learn more about diabetes
and how to control it. |
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Principle 4:
Treat High Blood Sugar
The number one goal of diabetes
treatment is to control high blood sugar levels. There are many ways
that this can be done. These include:
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Eating
a healthy diet |
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Getting
regular physical activity |
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Taking
medicine for your diabetes if your doctor tells you to |
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Testing
your blood sugar |
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Talk
to your doctor about the best ways to control your high
blood sugar. |
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Get
involved in making a treatment plan and other decisions
about your diabetes care. |
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Principle 5:
Monitor
Your Blood Sugar Level
Testing Your Own Blood Sugar
You may need to test your own blood
sugar on a regular basis to help you control your diabetes.
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Talk with
your health care provider about: |
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What type
of test to use |
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How to do
the test the right way |
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How often
to test |
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How often
to report the test results |
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Getting
the supplies you need to do the tests. If you get Medicare,
it can help pay for your diabetes supplies. |
Hemoglobin A1c
Testing
A hemoglobin A1c test is done by
your doctor. It measures how well your blood sugar has been
controlled over the last 2 to 3 months. This test is very important
because it tells how well you are taking care of your diabetes.
To learn more about this and other
blood sugar tests, you can call 1-800-438-5383. Ask for the brochure
called Know Your Blood Sugar Numbers: The ABCs of Testing for
Blood Sugar Control.
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Ask
your doctor or nurse educator what your last hemoglobin A1c
test result was. Write it below.
My last hemoglobin A1c test result was:
___________________________________
Date of test: _________________________
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Ask
your doctor or nurse educator what your target hemoglobin
A1c test result should be. Write it below.
My target hemoglobin A1c is:
___________________________________ |
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Principle 6:
Prevent and Diagnose Long-Term Diabetes Problems
People with diabetes must control
their blood sugar levels to prevent problems such as eye disease,
kidney disease, nerve damage, heart disease, and stroke. Here are
some tests that you should get on a regular basis. These include:
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Blood
pressure checks
Date tested _________________________
Results ____________________________
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Cholesterol
tests
Date tested _________________________
Results ____________________________
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Other
blood fat tests (ask your doctor what tests you should have)
Type of test ________________________
Date tested ________________________
Results ____________________________ |
Remember, to help control and
manage your diabetes, you should also do the following:
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Eat a healthy diet
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Take medicine if your doctor
tells you to
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Get regular physical
activity
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Get regular foot and eye
exams
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Work with your health care
providers to do these things
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Principle 7:
Get Checked for Long-Term Problems and Treat Them
To check for problems that diabetes
can cause, you should see your doctor or other health care providers
on a regular basis. Doing this can prevent problems or find them
early, when they can be treated and managed well.
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Ask
your doctor or other health care providers about how often
you should have your: |
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Feet checked
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Eyes tested
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Kidneys tested
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Ask
your doctor or other health care providers about other tests
you may also need to have:
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
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To take good
care of your diabetes for life, be sure to follow these 7
principles:
- Find Out What Type of Diabetes
You Have.
- Get Regular Care for Your
Diabetes.
- Learn How to Control Your
Diabetes.
- Treat High Blood Sugar.
- Monitor Your Blood Sugar Level.
- Prevent and Diagnose Long-Term
Diabetes Problems.
- Get Checked for Long-Term
Problems and Treat Them.
People who have diabetes and keep
their blood sugar levels under control can expect to live a long and
active life.*
To learn more
about how to control your diabetes, call the National Diabetes
Education Program at 1-800-438-5383.
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*Health statements have
not been evaluated by the FDA. We always recommend you check with your
health care practitioner or physician prior to beginning any new
supplement or diet program, especially if you are on any medication,
nursing, pregnant or have any other existing medical condition. |
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Therapeutic
Dosage
