Diabetes Health Talk

[Intro] [Habit One] [Habit Two] [Habit Three] [Habit 4] [Habit 5] [Habit 6] [Habit 7] [Conclusion]

And here we are - at the end of our little journey that examined the 7 habits of highly effective diabetics - heck, highly effective people! Everything we’ve learned up to this point can be used not only to help you get a handle on your diabetes, but also to help get a handle on anything else that is plaguing you. Throughout, we’ve mentioned the Self-Care behaviors, and we’re going to bring this series of posts to a close by naming those, as well as give you an action plan that will help you put each of these self-care behaviors into play. So let’s get to it, hm?

The American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) is a group of health-care professionals that are dedicated to helping diabetics become self-managers of their condition. They focus on these 7 self-care behaviors:

1. Healthy Eating: Self explanatory, right? Eating healthy foods, in healthy portions, as well as knowing the best times to eat are central in managing diabetes. Add weight control to that, and you’re well on your way.

2. Being Active: Regular activity is important for fitness, weight management as well as blood glucose control.

3. Monitoring: Daily self-monitoring of blood glucose provides people with the information needed on how food, physical activity, and medications affect their blood glucose levels.

4. Taking Medication: Effective drug therapy in combination with healthy lifestyle choices can lower blood glucose levels and reduce the risks of complications.

5. Problem Solving: A person with diabetes has to have good problem-solving skills. A high or low blood glucose episode or sickness will require making informed decisions about food, activity and medications.

6. Healthy Coping: Coping with diabetes depends on a positive frame of mind. This is achieved by learning what can be controlled, setting goals that are achievable and reasonable, and talking about concerns and fears.

7. Reducing Risks: Preventing complications and maximizing overall health depends on reducing risks on a regular basis - this includes quitting smoking and getting regular eye, foot and dental checkups.

All of these self-care behaviors can seem overwhelming at first, when looked at together as a whole. That’s the reason the action plan was included in the booklet, to help us focus on those baby steps that we need to take, to get us moving along the path to good health, despite diabetes. Use this plan to help you set achievable goals, and aim for progress, not perfection.

1. Read the list above and on a separate piece of paper write down the one that seems most challenging. This goal will become your priority.

2. Under the goal, write a small commitment toward that goal - use proactive language. For instance, for Being Active, you goal could be “I choose to walk the dog around the block every day instead of making the kids do it.” Or for monitoring “I choose to poke my finger every morning on time.” Start with small choices! It will soon become habit.

3. Put your goal in a win-win frame of mind. Under your commitment statement, write the names of 2 or more people that you can count on to help your goal. One from your medical team, and a family member or friend.

4. Contact those people listed above, and share your goal with them. Schedule times when you will check in with them so that they can hold you accountable. Write down these meetings in your calendar.

5. When you feel you’ve made sufficiant progress with this goal, you’ve got it under control and wll continue the path, choose another self-care behavior and repeat these steps.

6. Post your commitment sheet where you can see it every day. It will remind you of your goals, and your successes!

Thanks for following along in this series, and good luck as you journey forward!