These principles, or steps, will help you manage your diabetes and live a long and active life. Every person who has diabetes has different needs. Talk to your healthcare team about a treatment plan that is best for you. Diabetes affects almost every part of the body and good diabetes care requires a team of healthcare providers. They include doctors, diabetes educators, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, mental health providers, eye specialists, foot specialists, dentists and social workers.

It is vitally important to control diabetes. Plus, taking good care of yourself will make you feel better and can lower your chances of getting:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Eye disease that can lead to a loss of vision or even blindness
• Nerve damage that may cause a loss of feeling or pain in the hands, feet, legs, or other parts of the  body and lead to problems such as lower limb amputation or erectile dysfunction
• Kidney failure
• Gum disease and loss of teeth

Look for ways to empower yourself and that can help you take action to control your diabetes.

Principle 1: Learn as Much as You Can About Diabetes

The more you know about diabetes, the better you can work with your healthcare team to manage your disease and reduce your risk for problems. You should know what type of diabetes you have. If you do not know, ask your doctor whether you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes. Those with type 1 diabetes must take insulin every day. This type of diabetes is less common and used to be called juvenile diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes. Diet and daily physical activity help to control type 2 diabetes. Most people also need to take diabetes medication and/or insulin. Type 2 diabetes is very common and used to be called adult onset diabetes.

Diabetes is always a serious disease. Terms that suggest that diabetes is not serious, such as “a touch of diabetes,” “mild diabetes,” and “sugar’s a little high,” are not correct and should no longer be used.

Becoming diagnosed and treating diabetes early can prevent health problems later on. Many people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms and do not know they have diabetes. Some people are at higher risk for diabetes than others. People at high risk include those who:

• are older than 45
• are overweight
• have a close family member such as a parent or sibling who has or has had diabetes
• had diabetes during pregnancy
• had a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds
• are African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian American or Pacific Islander, or American Indian
• have high blood pressure
• have high cholesterol or other abnormal blood fats
• are inactive

If you know someone who has any of the risk factors for diabetes, suggest they talk to their doctor about getting tested.

Principle 2: Get Regular Care for Your Diabetes

If you have diabetes, it is important to:

• see your healthcare team regularly
• make sure your treatment plan is working. If it is not, consult with your healthcare team to help  you change it.
• ask your family, friends and co-workers for help and support when you need it
• work with your healthcare team to get the best help to control your diabetes
• ask your healthcare team how often you need to see them for check-ups
• always know the date and time for your next visit with your healthcare team and make a list of  questions and concerns you want to talk about then

Ask your doctor, clinic or office staff, or pharmacist to help you find resources if you have problems paying for food, medicines or medical supplies. You should be able to get Medicare or other insurance to help you pay for diabetes supplies.
 
Principle 3: Learn How to Control Your Diabetes

Diabetes affects many parts of the body. To stay healthy, it is important to know how to eat the right foods, be physically active and look after yourself. Understanding the following checklist will help you learn how to control your diabetes.

How Active Are You in Controlling Your Diabetes?

I talk to my healthcare team about:

• my special needs to help control my diabetes
• ways to improve my ABC numbers: A1C,* blood pressure and cholesterol
• aspirin therapy to prevent heart problems
• getting regular physical activity
• quitting smoking, if needed
• I learn from my doctor, diabetes educator, podiatrist, pharmacist, or dietitian how to follow a meal  plan to control my diabetes
• check my feet every day
• take my medicines as prescribed
• check my blood glucose levels

* A1C (pronounced A-one-C) is a measure of your average blood glucose over the last three months. You should get this test at least twice a year.

I visit my:

• general doctor at least twice a year
• eye doctor each year and report any changes in vision
• dentist twice a year
• specialists as my general doctor advises
 
Principle 4: Take Care of Your Diabetes ABCs

A major goal of treatment is to control the ABCs of diabetes: A1C (blood glucose average), blood pressure and cholesterol. You can do this in many ways.

• Follow a meal plan that was made for you.
• Be active every day.
• Take your medicine as prescribed.
• Before taking any nonprescription medicines, vitamins or herbal products, ask your pharmacist  how they may affect your diabetes or prescription medicines.
• Test your blood glucose on a routine basis.
• Talk to your healthcare team about the best ways to control your A1C, blood pressure and  cholesterol and know your target numbers.
• Get involved in setting goals and making a treatment plan for your diabetes.

Principle 5: Monitor Your Diabetes ABCs

To reduce your risk for diabetes problems such as blindness, kidney disease, losing a foot or leg, and early death from heart attack or stroke, you and your healthcare team need to monitor the diabetes ABCs: A1C, blood pressure and cholesterol. Talk to your healthcare team about how to reach your target numbers.

Get the A1C Test

The A1C test is usually performed by your doctor. It measures how well your blood glucose has been controlled over the last three months. This test is very important because it tells how well you are taking care of your diabetes over the long term. It should be done at least twice a year.

You may need to check your own blood glucose on a regular basis to help control your diabetes. It will tell you what your blood glucose is at the time you test. Keep a record of your results and show it to your healthcare team. Some meters and test strips report blood glucose results as plasma glucose values which are 10% to 15% higher than whole blood glucose values. Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether your meter and strips provide whole blood or plasma results.

The target glucose range for most people using whole blood is 80 to 120 before meals and 100 to 140 at bedtime. The target glucose range for most people using plasma is 90 to 130 before meals and 110 to 150 at bedtime. Talk to your healthcare team about the best ways to check your own blood glucose.  

Know Your Blood Pressure

High blood pressure makes your heart work too hard. This can lead to stroke and other problems such as kidney disease. Your blood pressure should be checked at every visit. You may need to check it yourself in between visits.

The target blood pressure for most people with diabetes is less than 130/80. Ask your healthcare team what your blood pressure is and keep a dated record of the results. Discuss your blood pressure target with your healthcare team and write it down and determine what you need to do to reach your target. 

Know Your Cholesterol

LDL is the "bad" cholesterol that builds up in your blood vessels. It causes the vessels to narrow and harden, which can lead to a heart attack. Your doctor should check your LDL at least once a year.

The target LDL cholesterol for most people with diabetes is less than 100. Discuss your LDL cholesterol target with your healthcare team and keep a record of the results. Discuss what you need to do to reach your target and keep a record of your results. This will help you know when you and your healthcare team need to take extra action.

Principle 6: Prevent Long-Term Diabetes Problems

People with diabetes must control their blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol to prevent the problems of diabetes: heart attack, stroke, eye and kidney problems, nerve damage, impotence, foot or leg amputation, gum disease and loss of teeth. Here are the key self-care activities to help you manage your diabetes and live a long and healthy life.

Daily:

• Follow your diabetes meal plan with the correct portion sizes. Eat a variety of foods that are high  in fiber and low in fat and salt.
• Be active every day.
• Take medicines as prescribed. If you have questions, talk to your pharmacist or doctor about your  medicines.
• Get to know your feet, and wash and dry them well each day. Tell your podiatrist or healthcare  team about any changes with your feet.
• Check your mouth daily for gum or tooth problems. Call your dentist right away if you have  problems with your teeth or gums.

As needed:

• Test your blood glucose as prescribed by your doctor.
• Check your blood pressure as prescribed by your doctor.
• Reach and stay at a healthy weight.
• Stop smoking.
• Make sure your eyeglasses or contact lens prescription is up-to-date so you can see clearly. Report  any changes in your vision to your healthcare team.

Principle 7: Get Checked for Long-Term Problems and Treat Them

See your healthcare team regularly to check for problems that diabetes can cause. Regular check-ups help to prevent problems or find them early when they can be treated and managed well. Along with the checks of your A1C, blood pressure and cholesterol (see Principle 5), here are some tests that you may need:

• Triglycerides (a type of blood fat)—Get yearly
• Dilated eye exam to check for eye problems—Get yearly
• Foot check—Get every visit
• Complete foot exam to check for circulation, loss of feeling, sores or changes in shape—Get yearly
• Urine test to check for kidney problems—Get yearly
• Dental exams to prevent gum disease and loss of teeth—Get twice a year

Ask your doctor about these and other tests you may need to have.