Although there is no cure for diabetes, it is manageable. Every year new types of medication and medical devices provide more and more choices to people with diabetes. Yet the basic foundation for good diabetes care still focuses on healthy eating and physical activity, plus monitoring your blood glucose level and taking medication, as needed.

Changing your lifestyle and habits to live with diabetes can be a real challenge. But the benefit of taking care of yourself and your disease includes preventing or delaying serious health complications ranging from tingling feet to kidney failure and blindness. When your blood glucose level is in normal range you feel better. So talk to your doctor or diabetes educator and develop a diabetes management routine that works for you so you can live your life without limits.

• Food -What you eat directly impacts your blood glucose levels
  
• Fitness - Help keep blood glucose in check by being physically active
  
• Monitoring -Testing your blood glucose
  
• Medication - Insulin and diabetes pills
  
• Coping & Complications -Manage daily concerns and long-term diabetes complications.
  
• Resources -Online materials and Web sites to explore

Related Articles

• Beginner's Guide to Diabetes Management. Recently diagnosed? Or want to be sure that you're pursuing a well-structured diabetes management program? This simple overview provides key steps to take in order to help keep diabetes under control. (October 2003)
  
• Following Doctor's Orders Key to Beating Diabetes: To overcome diabetes, it's important to follow your doctor's orders. Yet, startling statistics show many people don't. Find out what you need to do in order to become a good patient. (October 2004)
  
• Yearly Check on Diabetes Control: Look at the past 12 months and ask yourself a few questions. How did you feel? Did you maintain target blood glucose levels? Use our checklist to be sure you're doing the essentials to maintain your health. (December 2003)