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If you have a diabetic in your family, you have a front-row seat to the challenges they experience. It can be frustrating, painful and hard to watch a person learn to adjust and pivot with this disease. Thankfully, there are plenty of tips you can help them adopt in order to live a healthier, happier lifestyle in spite of diabetes. In order to help the diabetic in your family, implement the following tips.
1. Create Sugar Alternatives
When a person is diabetic, it’s pretty common to start reading labels. Unfortunately, once a person starts reading the labels, it’s clear that sugar is found in almost everything. From tomato sauce to a loaf of bread, it’s easy to find a considerable amount of sugar. This is one of the reasons why it’s important to start tracking how much sugar gets consumed each day. Make sure it stays beneath a certain amount. Furthermore, it’s best to find sugar-free alternatives in order to decrease or eliminate sugar consumption altogether. Though it can take some time to adjust, sugar elimination is the best line of action for the long haul. Begin to get creative in researching sugar-free recipes that still allow a diabetic to enjoy good food without the dangerous spike in insulin.
2. Take Supplements
A diabetic might want to consider different supplements in order to support energy levels, vitality and more. However, as it relates to blood sugar levels, a glucose supplement may be beneficial because it can assist in decreasing the symptoms that are associated with diabetes. Weight gain, sugar cravings and low energy are all associated with diabetic patients. By taking the right supplement, it may be easier for the body to fight off those pesky symptoms that can interfere with everyday life.
3. Incorporate Physical Activity
Volunteer to serve as an accountability partner for your family member who is diabetic. You two can exercise together. Exercise is really helpful for overall health and wellness. Yet, it can be helpful for diabetics as it can help to manage blood sugar levels. When you exercise, this process increases insulin sensitivity. This means you won’t need as much insulin in order to keep your blood sugar levels under control. It’s important to work toward getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity each day. This equates to a mere 30 minutes per weekday or 21 minutes for the entire week. Go for a brisk walk. Do a mix of jumping jacks, lunges and planks at home. Try a dance cardio workout with guided instruction on YouTube. There are so many easy ways to exercise that don’t involve a gym.
4. Consume Healthy Carbohydrates
Even though the modern-day diet culture created a stigma around carbohydrates, they’re actually good for the body. The problem lies within making the wrong choices for consumption. By consuming healthy carbs, it’s much easier to fuel the body, maintain a healthy weight and slow down the dramatic insulin spikes. For diabetics, some of the best carbohydrates to consume include brown rice, chickpeas and lentils. If it seems hard to transition from a fast-food diet at first, just focus on creating alternatives to some of the beloved fast-food options. With time, the tastebuds will learn to love the new menu.
5. Try More Healthy Fruits and Vegetables
While it is definitely important to closely monitor the fruit choices, work on incorporating fresh produce into the diet. It’s hard to go wrong with any vegetable. Whether it’s roasted, baked or lightly sauteed, vegetables will provide a ton of nutrition. When it’s time to incorporate fruit, focus on options that have a low glycemic index. When it has a low rating, this means that it will help the blood sugar levels to stay in healthy ranges. Plums, pears and peaches are great options. Strawberries, apples and cherries are also excellent options to include in a daily diet. By eating fruit raw or as a dessert, it’ll be much easier to replace the unhealthy desserts that will cause a dangerous spike.
Conclusion
When it’s properly managed, millions of people are able to live and thrive in spite of a diabetes diagnosis. With the encouragement and support of family members, an individual with diabetes can adjust their perspective, learn how to shift any poor habits and develop a routine that supports optimal health. By implementing these tips, you can provide your family members with the moral support and tools to attack diabetes with tenacity, grace and consistency.
