The Importance of Self-Care for Diabetes Management

"Did you know the key to successfully manage diabetes is you? But you don’t have to figure it out alone. Participating in diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) can help you improve your diabetes management skills in seven key areas.

If you have diabetes, you know that managing it day to day can take time and practice. Even when you have a daily routine down, life happens and can knock you off your game. And when it does, you’ll want to make sure you have the tools, resources, and skills to get back on track. That’s why participating in DSMES is an important part of learning how to live with diabetes.

Learning 7 Self-Care Behaviors

DSMES services have been shown to help people with diabetes lose weight (if needed) and improve A1C levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. It can even help reduce the risk of diabetes complications and hospitalizations. Since diabetes is managed mainly by the person who has it, the focus of DSMES is to help people with diabetes develop the skills they need to self-manage their diabetes. You will learn seven key areas of self-care to help you live well with diabetes.

Healthy coping

Your emotional well-being plays an important role in your self-care. Negative thoughts and feelings can affect how well you take care of yourself. Healthy coping can help you manage the emotional side of diabetes. This key area of self-care helps you recognize negative emotions and how to take steps to reduce the impact they may have on managing diabetes. Joining a peer support group can be a great way to connect and share stories from daily management to mental health. And remember, your doctor or diabetes care and education specialist is also there to support you. Talk to them about your experiences, concerns, or any questions you may have about managing diabetes. Learn more by watching this video on healthy coping.

Healthy eating

If you have diabetes, you know that eating well is key to managing your blood sugar. But that doesn’t mean always giving up your favorite meals, restaurants, or dessert. Work with a diabetes care and education specialist to learn about the foods you eat and how they affect your diabetes management. They’ll help you create a healthy eating plan that’s specific to your health needs, lifestyle, beliefs, taste, and culture. Learn more by watching this video on healthy eating..."
Diabetes