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From a 57 year old diabetic, insulin-dependent since age 8, on an insulin pump since 2000: 1. Watch your blood sugars! Yes, blood glucose meter strips are expensive - if you have insurance they're covered - and knowing where you are from day to day and even hour to hour if you need to is the key to controlling your long-term average (hemoglobin A1c or HbA1c for short). Test frequently until you're comfortable with how your body reacts to different foods at different times of day under different circumstances (exercise, activity level, stress, etc.). If you're insulin-dependent you may need to do many injections a day to maintain control. Talk to your Dr. 2. EXERCISE REGULARLY!!!!! I can't tell you what a huge difference this makes in smoothing out the highs and lows I experience. This is important, and critical for type II's! It makes a difference for me of roughly 5 poiints on the HbA1c scale. I do weight training followed by even as little as 20" of cardio work , and longer when I can,at the middle of my age-predicted target number. I get in some exercise at least 3 days a week, and feel better if it's more like 4-5 times per week. During times when I couldn't exercise regularly, it was hell trying to control my blood sugars. It lessens any tendency toward depression, which diabetics are especially prone to. Look at the statistics on how much a lower HbA1c prevents the onset of complications like retinopathy, kidney disease, and neuropathy. My eyesight has been steady since 1982 when I had extensive laser treatments which saved the vision in one eye, but I totally lost all vision in the other. I've had no further deterioration since then because of the wake-up call that gave me! Most of neuropathy I had at that time have almost completely been reversed. 3. If you haven't done so yet, try to get some sessions with a DNE (Diabetes nurse educator). That person will give you info, advice, and analyses of your diet, carbohydrate ratios (if you take insulin), and lots of other info to help you take control of your own life. Ask your Dr. to refer you. Almost all insurance plans cover varying numbers of visits. 4. Hope and pray that some better coverage for insulinand glucose test supplies gets passed along with whatever health plan our congress comes up with to prevent very pricey complication treatments so we can all avoid them!

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