How to Manage Common Diabetes-Related Challenges

Diabetes does a lot more than throw your blood sugar levels off. Left unchecked, it causes various complications, from nerve damage to hearing and vision loss. 

Fortunately, here at Zarreii Medical and Aesthetics in Delray Beach, Florida, Dr. Peymon Zarreii can partner with you to develop a proactive diabetes management plan. As an expert in this condition, Dr. Zarreii is familiar with the complications that often arise along with it. And he knows how to help you avoid those common challenges.

Dr. Zarreii personalizes your diabetes care plan to you, but to get you started, we lay out a few general recommendations: 

Avoid other issues in your bloodstream

While your body’s combating imbalanced blood sugar levels, it doesn’t need more to contend with. The problem? Not only does diabetes make you more likely to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, it increases your risk of those health conditions causing a heart attack or stroke. 

The best way to avoid high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and other diabetes-related complications is by improving your lifestyle with regular exercise, stress management, and a healthy diet, including: 

• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Nuts 
• Low-fat dairy
• Fish

It also means avoiding excess sodium, saturated and trans fats.

Check your feet

Give your feet a thorough once-over regularly (e.g., every few days). 

As diabetes progresses, it can damage your nerves, causing diabetic neuropathy. This can affect other parts of your body, but it’s particularly common in the feet. Once your nerves aren’t sending pain signals like they should, you might have foot issues without even noticing. For example, you could have a blister you don’t feel that gets infected. 

People could avoid most diabetic foot amputations if they regularly checked their feet and talked to the doctor when they noticed open wounds.

Get regular physicals

At an annual physical with Dr. Zarreii, he can check your feet and blood pressure and also talk with you about other changes you’ve noticed. If your vision seems different, tell Dr. Zarreii during your physical. That way, he can stay actively involved in helping you manage — and, ideally, minimize — any diabetes-related challenges. 

Ultimately, if you want to lead your healthiest life with diabetes, you need to get proactive. Dr. Zarreii can help you develop a game plan to avoid the issues that commonly arise with this condition. To get started, schedule an appointment by calling our office or booking your visit online today.