Diabetes Education ClassA simple way to lower blood sugar?Ever attended diabetes
education classes? Maybe you're thinking about it? Or maybe you're
thinking about attending again? You're definitely on the right track.
The research described below shows that diabetes education classes
can help you maintain positive lifestyle changes TWO years
after the education. But . . .
This research also highlights a glitch. A small, and dare I say it, easy change you can make to improve your blood sugars. A change that most people would not find difficult but . . . for some reason, don't do. Read on. In this research on diabetic education . . .One hundred and fifty people with type 2 diabetes completed three days of diabetes education classes that focused on diabetes self-management. They were seen periodically for follow up for one year afterwards. At the end of the year, it was shown that positive lifestyle changes were made to eating habits (meal spacing, balance, less emotional eating, reduced fats and reduced intakes of sweets), glucose testing, exercise and even foot care. And yes, blood sugars and A1c results - those three month average blood sugars - dropped signficantly. All good news and no surprises, right? The surprise is this.Two years AFTER the diabetes education classes, and one year after their last contact with the diabetes team, these same folks maintained the lifestlye changes they'd made after attending diabetes education classes. Yes! Kept them. Without any nagging from diabetes educators! The but . . . .Yes, of course, there is a 'but'. . . BUT . ..a year after finishing their follow-up with the diabetes teams, their blood glucose levels and A1c results increased again. Oh, you say. The diabetes was progressing. As a diabetes educator I often tell people with type 2 diabetes that their pancreas is growing older faster than the rest of them. So yes, blood sugars will change. That's a nice way of saying they will go up. But, is this what happened in this research? Well, could be. It is a possibility. After all. These folks had kept up their lifestyle changes so what else could it be? Well . . . the simple thing that could reduce blood sugars.There is something they
stopped doing so well. Enough suspense. . .A year after leaving the diabetes centre, and two years after completing diabetes education classes, many of these people stopped regularly taking their diabetes pills. No they didn't stop the pills altogether. They just stopped taking them as regularly as they had been. That's it. Interesting, isn't it? As hard as the lifestyle changes were - they maintained them!
As easy as taking a pill is. . . well, that often fell by the wayside. Why? No doubt each person had their particular reason. However, the main thing to consider here is that they regularly took that medicine when being seen in a diabetes centre. When they were being reminded. Does this mean you need to live at the diabetes centre? No. Good gracious. There isn't room now for diabetes centres to see everyone. The takehome message about diabetes education . . .Is simply that diabetes education does not need to be limited to the classroom. Regular health reminders can do wonders for blood sugars - or for taking your pills to help blood sugars. This is not the first research to suggest that frequent health care reminders can benefit blood sugars, as well as weight, cholesterol etc. If you find yourself forgetting pills, can you talk with pharmacist and MD about other possible options - eg. a one-a-day pill or moving some of the pills etc. Other options you might consider. . . Can you . . .Come up with a way to remind yourself to regularly take your diabetes meds?
If your A1c or average blood sugar rises, before you blame your lifestyle you might take a look at your habits with diabetes medications. If you've got the ability and will power to make and keep lifestyle changes like the people in this study, then congratulate yourself. And go the step further to include taking your diabetes medication regularly as an important lifestyle change. Taking those little darn things could hugely benefit your health, your future, your dreams. How hard is it to swallow that pill? Good Luck, Good Health! Related: Steps to Lower Blood Glucose
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