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Dining with Diabetes
Diabetes Checklist

If you have diabetes, follow these action steps for treatment. The possible complications from diabetes can be extremely serious and cause damage to vital organs. Many of these complications can be delayed or prevented by carefully controlling blood glucose, blood pressure, and LDL cholesterol levels. To help you manage your diabetes you should discuss, create and follow a diabetes management plan with your healthcare provider and set goals for a treatment plan. Here are some specific suggestions to follow:

Check * those action steps you need to do to take charge of your diabetes:

Work with Your Health Care Provider
___ Ask your healthcare provider about the ABCs of diabetes. "A" is for AIC, a measure of average blood glucose; "B" is blood pressure; and "C" is LDL-cholesteral. You should find out what your levels are, what they should be, and what steps you can take to reach these goals.
___ Work with your healthcare provider to establish and maintain individualized target blood glucose levels. Ask how often and when to measure your blood glucose levels. Ask how often and when to measure blood glucose levels. You should keep a record of blood glucose readings to show your healthcare provider so he/she can better assist you in regulating your blood glucose.
___ Seek the help of qualified healthcare professionals - such as a primary care provider, an endocrinologist, a certified diabetes educator or a registered dietitian - to help with diabetes management.
Know Diabetes Symptoms
___

Be aware of the symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). If you experience these symptoms, you should adjust your treatment plan and seek advice from your healthcare provider on how to maintain healthy blood glucose levels.

  • Know the symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
    • Feel weak, confused, irritable, hungry or tired
    • Sweat a lot or get a headache
    • Feel shaky
  • Know the symptoms of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
    • Feel very thirsty and tired
    • Have blurry vision
    • Have to go to the bathroom often
    • Nausea
Take Care of Your Eyes, Feet and Teeth
___ You should ask your primary care provider about a dilated eye exam at least once a year as people with diabetes are at higher risk for vision problems and blindness. Early detection and treatment of diabetic eye disease can prevent or delay vision loss.
___ Brush your teeth regularly and visit a dentist at least once every six months because people with diabetes are at higher risk for gum disease.
___ Check your feet for sores and calluses every day, wear shoes that fit properly, and get a comprehensive foot exams at least once per year with your healthcare provider since people with diabetes are at a higher risk for foot problems that can be caused by neuropathy (nerve damage) or poor blood flow to the feet.
Protect Your Heart
___ Request regular blood pressure checks at every medical visit and cholesterol checks at least once per year because people with diabetes are at higher risk for heart disease and stoke. Lowering blood pressure and cholesterol can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, the major cause of death in people with diabetes.
___ If you smoke cigarettes, seek help from your healthcare provider to quit smoking to further reduce your risk for heart disease.
Protect Your Kidneys
___ Ask for a urine test by your healthcare provider at least once a year to monitor the level of protein in urine -- a measure of kidney function.
Keep a Record of Your Medical Visits & Diabetes Self-Care Activities
The checklist below can help you and your healthcare provider keep track of diabetes care. Other materials for managing diabetes can be found at http://www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/control/control.htm or by calling 1-800-860-8747.
Daily diabetes care activities
___ Exercise
___ Follow meal plan
___ Take diabetes medicine
___ Check blood glucose as recommended by healthcare provider
___ Check feet for sores that are not healing properly
___ Brush teeth and floss
At doctor visits
___ Get feet checked
___ Check blood pressure
At least twice per year
___ Get an HbA1 test
___ Get a dental check-up and have teeth cleaned by a dental professional
At least once per year
___ Get a dilated eye exam
___ Get a complete food exam - checking circulation and for changes in foot shape
___ Get a urine test for kidney function
___ Get a flu shot
___ Get blood lipid levels (cholesterol) checked
Learn Diabetes Self-Care - Diet, Exercise, Medications
___ Follow a meal plan developed with your healthcare provider. This can be an important step for maintaining desirable blood glucose levels and avoiding complications.
___ Work with your healthcare provider to develop an exercise program and follow this plan. Exercise is important for people with diabetes because it can help insulin work better to lower blood glucose levels and improve cardiovascular health.
___ Follow your healthcare provider's recommendations for how and when to take diabetes medications. Share with your healthcare provider if these medications do not seem to be working properly.
___ Ask your healthcare provider about new medicines and medical devices, such as blood glucose meters and insulin pens and pumps that could help manage diabetes.
Stay Smart About Your Diabetes
___ Seek help and encouragement through a diabetes support group.
___ Participate in a Dining with Diabetes program offered by your county UT Extension.
___ Continue to obtain information on diabetes. The National Diabetes Education Program (http://www.ndep.nih.gov or 1-800-438-5383) and organizations such as the American Diabetes Association (http://www.diabetes.org or 1-800-DIABETES), the American Association of Diabetes Educators and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (http://www.jdrf.org or 1-800-533-CURE) can be excellent resources to help in learning more about caring for diabetes.
___ Get information about clinical trials in progress that may identify new and more effective medicines and treatment regimens to treat diabetes (available at: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov)
___ Talk about diabetes with family and friends to make them aware of ways they can help with diabetes management.

Source: Diabetes: A National Plan for Action. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, December 2004, http://www.aspe.hhs.gov/health/NDAP/NDAP04.pdf
This document outlines strategies for diabetes prevention, detection and treatment. The plan recommends and outlines action steps for families, friends, healthcare providers, schools, the media, communities, health insurance providers, employers, researchers and professional educators, and tribal and other government agencies, to help reduce the prevalence of diabetes and its complications.

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