*LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TYPE 1 AND TYPE 2 DIABETES*

Also, if you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes:

*• IDENTIFY YOURSELF.* Make a note that says you have diabetes. Keep a glucagon kit nearby in case of a low blood sugar emergency. Make sure your friends and loved ones know how to use it.

*• SCHEDULE A MONTHLY PHYSICAL AND REGULAR EYE EXAMS.* Your regular diabetes checkups aren't meant to replace yearly physicals or routine eye exams. During the physical, your provider will look for any diabetes-related complications and screen for other medical problems. Your eye care specialist will check for signs of eye damage, including retinal damage (retinopathy), cataracts and glaucoma.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also currently recommends hepatitis B vaccination if you haven't previously had it and you're an adult age 19 to 59 with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

The most recent CDC guidelines suggest vaccination as soon as possible after diagnosis with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. If you are age 60 or older, have been diagnosed with diabetes, and haven't previously received the vaccine, talk to your provider about whether it's right for you.

*• PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR FEET* . Wash your feet daily in lukewarm water. Dry them gently, especially between the toes. Moisturize with lotion, but not between the toes. Check your feet every day for blisters, cuts, sores, redness or swelling. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have a sore or other foot problem that doesn't heal quickly on its own.

*• CONTROL YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE AND CHOLESTEROL.* Eating healthy foods and exercising regularly can help control high blood pressure and cholesterol. Drugs may be needed, too.

*• TAKE CARE OF YOUR TEETH.* Diabetes may leave you prone to more-serious gum infections. Brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day. And if you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, schedule regular dental exams. Talk to your dentist right away if your gums bleed or look red or swollen.

*• IF YOU SMOKE OR USE OTHER TYPES OF TOBACCO, ASK YOUR PROVIDER TO HELP YOU QUIT.* Smoking increases your risk of many diabetes complications. Smokers who have diabetes are more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than are nonsmokers who have diabetes. Talk to your provider about ways to stop smoking or to stop using other types of tobacco.

• If you drink alcohol, do so responsibly. Alcohol can cause either high or low blood sugar. This depends on how much you drink and if you eat at the same time. If you choose to drink, do so only in moderation one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men and always with food.

Remember to include the carbohydrates from any alcohol you drink in your daily carbohydrate count. And check your blood sugar levels before going to bed.

*• TAKE STRESS SERIOUSLY.* The hormones your body may make in response to long-term stress may prevent insulin from working properly. This will raise your blood sugar and stress you even more. Set limits for yourself and prioritize your tasks. Learn relaxation techniques. And get plenty of sleep.

*ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE FOR DIABETES (HIGH BLOOD SUGAR) TREATMENT.*

Many substances have been shown to improve the body's ability to process insulin in some studies. Other studies fail to find any benefit for blood sugar control or in lowering A1C levels. Because of the conflicting findings, there aren't any alternative therapies that are currently recommended to help everyone to manage blood sugar.
If you decide to try any type of alternative therapy, don't stop taking the drugs that your provider has prescribed. Be sure to discuss the use of any of these therapies with your provider. Make sure that they won't cause bad reactions or interact with your current therapy.
Also, no treatments — alternative or conventional — can cure diabetes. If you're using insulin therapy for diabetes, never stop using insulin unless directed to do so by your provider.