When you have diabetes, your body doesn't properly manage blood sugar (glucose), its main source of fuel. To keep your blood sugar level on target and avoid problems with your eyes, kidneys, heart and feet, you may need to take medication. But you also need to monitor your blood sugar to see if it's too high or too low, so that you can get it back on track and prevent long-term health problems.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that can cause serious health complications, so it's important to take an active role in managing the disease. This series, produced in partnership with American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), reviews the AADE7 Self-Care BehaviorsTM, seven approaches to healthier behavior for people with diabetes.
Life is filled with stress from traffic jams to more serious issues such as divorce or money problems. Add in the challenges of managing diabetes, and stress sometimes can feel overwhelming. It's important to find healthy ways to cope because having a lot of stress can increase your blood sugar levels. There are many healthy ways to cope with stress so you don't turn to harmful habits such as smoking, overeating, drinking alcohol or being less active.
