TREATMENT & MEDICATIONS
Key Elements in Diabetes Management
- Education – Everyone with Diabetes needs to be informed of their condition and potential complications.
- Physical Activity – Regular physical activity helps lower blood glucose levels, improves insulin sensitivity, helps with weight loss, reduces stress, reduces blood pressure and improves overall fitness.
- Nutrition – What, when, how much, and how you eat all play an important role in regulating blood glucose levels.
- Weight Management – Maintaining a healthy weight is especially important in the management of Type 2 Diabetes.
- Medication –There are a variety of medications that can be used for the treatment of diabetes. If you have Type 1 Diabetes, you will need to take insulin.
Please refer to Diabetes Canada or your Diabetes Educator for more information.
If you have Type 2 Diabetes, there are many medications that can be used to treat your diabetes, depending on your blood sugar target. Your healthcare provider will select the medication(s) right for you, explain how it works and answer any questions you have.
- Lifestyle Management – Effectively managing stresses of day-to-day can help people with diabetes better manage their disease.
- Blood Pressure – High blood pressure can lead to eye disease, heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease, so people with diabetes should try to keep their blood pressure at or below 130/80. You may need to change your lifestyle habits to do this and/or take medication (i.e. change your eating, physical activity and smoking habits)
