Gloria's Story: Adding Activity to Help Control Blood Sugar - Gloria's story
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There are days when Gloria doesn't meet her blood sugar range. She doesn't worry too much about it, but she does keep track when it happens.
"You can't be perfect all the time. Everybody slips up sometimes," she says.
Finding support and swapping recipes
Gloria meets once a week with her support group-women she met in her diabetes education class at the hospital.
"It's not a formal group. We get together for coffee every Wednesday morning and talk about how we're doing, what we're eating. And we swap recipes. It's really fun, and I learn a lot from them."
She loves trying out recipes for healthy eating and is always on the lookout for new ones. One of her favorites is a zucchini-crust pizza.
"It uses zucchini and egg whites for the crust. You add a little cheese, tomato, and spices. I just love that. And it's really low-carb," she says. "I used to eat regular pizza all the time. Now I can still enjoy it by making a few healthy changes."
Staying motivated with a long-term goal
Gloria has a long-term goal-to rely on diet and exercise to lower her blood sugar levels. First, her doctor asked her to take a stress test. She passed it.
"We have a deal. If I keep exercising and my numbers keep going down, he said I may be able to slowly decrease how much metformin I'm taking. I know it might not happen. But it feels good to me to be taking charge of my situation."
This story is based on information gathered from many people living with type 2 diabetes.
For more information, see the topic:
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Is This Normal? Get the Facts Fast!
Answer:
0-69
70-130
131+
Your level is currently
If the level is below 70 and you are experiencing symptoms such as shaking, sweating or difficulty thinking, you will need to raise the number immediately. A quick solution is to eat a few pieces of hard candy or 1 tablespoon of sugar or honey. Recheck your numbers again in 15 minutes to see if the number has gone up. If not, repeat the steps above or call your doctor.
People who experience hypoglycemia several times in a week should call their health care provider. It's important to monitor your levels each day so you can make sure your numbers are within the range. If you are pregnant always consult with your health care provider.
Congratulations on taking steps to manage your health.
However, it's important to continue to track your numbers so that you can make lifestyle changes if needed. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Your level is high if this reading was taken before eating. Aim for 70-130 before meals and less than 180 two hours after meals.
Even if your number is high, it's not too late for you to take control of your health and lower your blood sugar.
One of the first steps is to monitor your levels each day. If you are pregnant always consult with your physician.
Did You Know Your Lifestyle Choices
Affect Your Blood Sugar?
Use the Blood Glucose Tracker to monitor
how well you manage your blood sugar over time.
This tool is not intended for women who are pregnant.
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