Your treatment for
type 2 diabetes will change over time to meet
your needs. But the focus of your treatment will always be
to keep your blood sugar levels within your target range. That will help prevent complications from diabetes,
such as eye, kidney, heart, blood vessel, and nerve disease.
To help you stay on track with your treatment, you'll need
regular tests. For more information, see the Exams and Tests section of this
You play an important role in managing your
condition. By learning about diabetes and working with your doctor
to create a plan for treatment, you can improve your health and
quality of life.
The keys to managing your diabetes are
- Make healthy food choices. Eat a balanced diet, and try to manage the amount of
carbohydrate you eat by spreading it out over the day.
For help, see:
- Quick Tips: Smart Snacking When You Have Diabetes.
- Diabetes: Using a Plate Format for Eating.
- Diabetes: Counting Carbs if You Don't Use Insulin.
- Diabetes: Eating a Low Glycemic Diet.
- Be active.
Walking is a great way to get started. See:
- Quick Tips: Getting Active at Home.
- Fitness: Adding More Activity to Your Life.
- Fitness: Walking for Wellness.
- Test your blood sugar.
Everything in your life affects your blood sugar levels, from what you eat, to
how stressed you feel, to how much activity you get. That's why
testing your blood sugar regularly is so important. The American Diabetes
Association (ADA) recommends that you keep your blood sugar levels at:
- Diabetes: Checking Your Blood Sugar.
- Diabetes: Preventing High Blood Sugar Emergencies.
- Keep high blood pressure and high cholesterol under control. Losing weight and getting plenty of
exercise, such as walking at least 2½ hours a
week, can help lower blood pressure. But you may also need to take
medicines, such as an
ACE inhibitor or beta-blocker, to achieve your
goal.1 You may also need to take cholesterol-lowering
- Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) for High Cholesterol.
- High Blood Pressure: Checking Your Blood Pressure at Home.
- Take medicines,
such as metformin (Glucophage) or
insulin, if you need them. If you're
taking diabetes medicine or insulin, you will need to know
how to deal with low blood sugar and how to give yourself an insulin shot. For
more information, see the Medications section of this topic and:
- Diabetes: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar From Medicines.
- Diabetes: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar From Insulin.
- Diabetes: Giving Yourself an Insulin Shot.
- Quit smoking, if you smoke. Quitting smoking can help you reduce your risk of heart disease and
Pregnancy and diabetes
If you get pregnant, your diabetes treatment
may change. For example, some medicines could harm your baby. If your blood sugar gets too high while you're pregnant, your baby might have problems at birth. Talk with your doctor. For more information, see:
- Pregnancy and Diabetes: Planning for Pregnancy.
You've likely already had to make some big changes in the way
you live your life. It can be hard to
stay motivated when you have diabetes. Just try to
focus on one day at a time.
untreated type 2 diabetes can lead to serious health problems.
People with diabetes have a higher risk of
dying from heart and blood vessel diseases than people who
don't have the disease.5
But also remember that you can prevent or delay these problems
by taking care of yourself. Eating right, staying active, and keeping your
blood sugar under control are all things you can do. You don't have to do it
alone. For help and how-tos, see the Home Treatment section of this topic.
One Man's Story:
"I'm doing so much better
than I was 2 years ago. I eat better, I take walks, and I feel pretty good. I
talk to other people who have diabetes. But I have to remember that what works
for them may not work for me. Diabetes is different for everybody."—Andy
Read more about Andy and his diabetes routine.