Managing Diabetes

Diet & Exercise

Everyone with diabetes needs to choose foods wisely and be physically active. Regular exercise and a healthy diet is especially important for people with diabetes. It helps with blood sugar control, weight loss, and high blood pressure. People with diabetes who exercise are less likely to experience a heart attack or stroke than those who do not exercise regularly.

Type 1 Therapies

People with type 1 diabetes cannot make their own insulin. They need daily insulin injections. Insulin does not come in pill form. Injections are generally needed one to four times per day. Some people use an insulin pump. It is worn at all times and delivers a steady flow of insulin throughout the day.

Type 2 Therapies

Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes may respond to lifestyle changes like diet and exercise. There are several types of medicines used to lower blood glucose in type 2 diabetes. Hypoglycemic drugs such as metformin, sulfonylureas, and insulin should be the core therapies for type 2 diabetes. According to the ADA, these lower A1c more and cost less than most of the others and they also have a longer history of safety.

Gestational Therapies

Gestational diabetes is treated with changes in diet.