Making healthy choices is a large part of treating type 2 diabetes. The more you learn about the disease, the more motivated you may be to make good choices and to follow your treatment plan. By understanding what is happening in your body, you may also feel more in control of your disease.

If you have type 2 diabetes, your daily routine will include:

• Eating healthy foods and spreading carbohydrate throughout the day.
• Getting some physical activity that raises your heart rate, including resistance exercises like weight lifting or even yard work.
• Checking your blood sugar levels.
• Taking pills for type 2 diabetes and insulin, or other shots if prescribed.
• Drinking enough fluids to avoid dehydration.
• Taking a low-dose aspirin, if your doctor advises you to.

Other important issues

If you have type 2 diabetes, you also need to:

• Always wear medical identification to let health professionals know in an emergency that you have diabetes. Medical ID necklaces or bracelets are available from your doctor, your local pharmacy, or online.
• Know how to recognize and to quickly treat high blood sugar and low blood sugar.
• Take extra care of your skin, teeth, feet, and gums.
• Know how to care for yourself when you are sick.

For more information on managing type 2 diabetes, see the topics Type 2 Diabetes: Recently Diagnosed and Type 2 Diabetes: Living With the Disease.