Whitepaper: Diabetes and its Effects on Every System in the Body. Get ypour FREE copy now! Skip to content. The Role of Self-Care in Diabetes Management. But what exactly is self-care in diabetes management, and why is it important? What is Self-Care?

Diabetes Self-Management Education DSME First, you need to be trained on how to manage your type of diabetes best. Some key topics covered in DSME programs include: Understanding the different types of diabetes and their effects on the body The importance of regular blood glucose monitoring and interpreting the results Developing a personalised meal plan based on individual needs and preferences The benefits of regular physical activity and how to incorporate it into daily routines Recognizing and managing the signs and symptoms of high and low blood sugar levels Identifying and managing stress and other emotional issues related to diabetes Proper use of medications and insulin therapy, if applicable These programs often include individualised assessments, goal setting, problem-solving, and ongoing support from qualified professionals.

Gaining a Better Overview of Blood Sugar Levels Over Time Managing blood sugar levels is a crucial aspect of diabetes self-care. Physical Self-Care Physical self-care is essential for maintaining good health and managing diabetes effectively.

Regular physical activity has numerous benefits for people with diabetes, including: Improved insulin sensitivity, which helps the body use insulin more effectively Lower blood sugar levels and better overall blood sugar control Increased energy and reduced fatigue Weight management, which reduces the risk of diabetes-related complications Lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease Experts recommend 3 at least minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week, along with muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week.

Mental Self-Care Mental self-care involves taking care of your mental and emotional health. Some effective mental self-care strategies for people with diabetes include: Practicing mindfulness e. Yoga, Journaling, Breathing Methods, Meditation etc. to increase awareness and reduce stress Seeking professional help, such as counselling or therapy, to address emotional challenges related to diabetes Engaging in hobbies and activities that bring you joy and relaxation Building a solid support network of your family, friends, and fellow people with diabetes Prioritizing sleep and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule to promote mental and emotional well-being These practices will help you manage the emotional and mental toll of living with the condition and improve your quality of life.

Enriched Information for Your Healthcare Team Your healthcare team plays a critical role in your diabetes management, but they can only help you as much as the information you provide them.

Conclusion Strive to build self-care practices and do them on a daily basis as they help you manage your condition more effectively and improve your quality of life. Sources: Bonoto BC, de Araújo VE, Godói IP, de Lemos LL, Godman B, Bennie M, Diniz LM, Junior AA.

Efficacy of Mobile Apps to Support the Care of Patients With Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth.

doi: PMID: ; PMCID: PMC El-Gayar O, Timsina P, Nawar N, Eid W. Mobile applications for diabetes self-management: status and potential. J Diabetes Sci Technol. Lin EH, Von Korff M, Alonso J, Angermeyer MC, Anthony J, Bromet E, Bruffaerts R, Gasquet I, de Girolamo G, Gureje O, Haro JM, Karam E, Lara C, Lee S, Levinson D, Ormel JH, Posada-Villa J, Scott K, Watanabe M, Williams D.

Mental disorders among persons with diabetes—results from the World Mental Health Surveys. J Psychosom Res. Epub Oct Bădescu SV, Tătaru C, Kobylinska L, Georgescu EL, Zahiu DM, Zăgrean AM, Zăgrean L. The association between Diabetes mellitus and Depression.

J Med Life. Tags: blood sugar diabetes diabetes management exercise important stress. Changes in self-care activities should also be evaluated for progress toward behavioral change[ 41 ]. Self-monitoring of glycemic control is a cornerstone of diabetes care that can ensure patient participation in achieving and maintaining specific glycemic targets.

The most important objective of monitoring is the assessment of overall glycemic control and initiation of appropriate steps in a timely manner to achieve optimum control. Self-monitoring provides information about current glycemic status, allowing for assessment of therapy and guiding adjustments in diet, exercise and medication in order to achieve optimal glycemic control.

Irrespective of weight loss, engaging in regular physical activity has been found to be associated with improved health outcomes among diabetics[ 42 — 45 ].

The National Institutes of Health[ 46 ] and the American College of Sports Medicine[ 47 ] recommend that all adults, including those with diabetes, should engage in regular physical activity.

Treatment adherence in diabetes is an area of interest and concern to health professionals and clinical researchers even though a great deal of prior research has been done in the area.

In diabetes, patients are expected to follow a complex set of behavioral actions to care for their diabetes on a daily basis. These actions involve engaging in positive lifestyle behaviors, including following a meal plan and engaging in appropriate physical activity; taking medications insulin or an oral hypoglycemic agent when indicated; monitoring blood glucose levels; responding to and self-treating diabetes- related symptoms; following foot-care guidelines; and seeking individually appropriate medical care for diabetes or other health-related problems[ 48 ].

The majority of patients with diabetes can significantly reduce the chances of developing long-term complications by improving self-care activities.

In the process of delivering adequate support healthcare providers should not blame the patients even when their compliance is poor[ 49 ]. One of the realities about type-2 diabetes is that only being compliant to self-care activities will not lead to good metabolic control.

Research work across the globe has documented that metabolic control is a combination of many variables, not just patient compliance[ 51 , 52 ]. In an American trial, it was found that participants were more likely to make changes when each change was implemented individually. Success, therefore, may vary depending on how the changes are implemented, simultaneously or individually[ 53 ].

Some of the researchers have even suggested that health professionals should tailor their patient self-care support based on the degree of personal responsibility the patient is willing to assume towards their diabetes self-care management[ 54 ].

The role of healthcare providers in care of diabetic patients has been well recognized. Socio-demographic and cultural barriers such as poor access to drugs, high cost, patient satisfaction with their medical care, patient provider relationship, degree of symptoms, unequal distribution of health providers between urban and rural areas have restricted self-care activities in developing countries[ 39 , 55 — 58 ].

Another study stressed on both patient factors adherence, attitude, beliefs, knowledge about diabetes, culture and language capabilities, health literacy, financial resources, co-morbidities and social support and clinician related factors attitude, beliefs and knowledge about diabetes, effective communication [ 60 ].

Because diabetes self-care activities can have a dramatic impact on lowering glycosylated hemoglobin levels, healthcare providers and educators should evaluate perceived patient barriers to self-care behaviors and make recommendations with these in mind. Unfortunately, though patients often look to healthcare providers for guidance, many healthcare providers are not discussing self-care activities with patients[ 61 ].

Some patients may experience difficulty in understanding and following the basics of diabetes self-care activities. When adhering to self-care activities patients are sometimes expected to make what would in many cases be a medical decision and many patients are not comfortable or able to make such complex assessments.

It is critical that health care providers actively involve their patients in developing self-care regimens for each individual patient. This regimen should be the best possible combination for every individual patient plus it should sound realistic to the patient so that he or she can follow it[ 62 ].

Also, the need of regular follow-up can never be underestimated in a chronic illness like diabetes and therefore be looked upon as an integral component of its long term management.

A clinician should be able to recognize patients who are prone for non-compliance and thus give special attention to them.

On a grass-root level, countries need good diabetes self-management education programs at the primary care level with emphasis on motivating good self-care behaviors especially lifestyle modification. Furthermore, these programs should not happen just once, but periodic reinforcement is necessary to achieve change in behavior and sustain the same for long-term.

While organizing these education programs adequate social support systems such as support groups, should be arranged. As most of the reported studies are from developed countries so there is an immense need for extensive research in rural areas of developing nations.

Concurrently, field research should be promoted in developing countries about perceptions of patients on the effectiveness of their self-care management so that resources for diabetes mellitus can be used efficiently. To prevent diabetes related morbidity and mortality, there is an immense need of dedicated self-care behaviors in multiple domains, including food choices, physical activity, proper medications intake and blood glucose monitoring from the patients.

World health organization: Definition, diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus and its complications. Geneva: World health organization; Google Scholar. Kinra S, Bowen LJ, Lyngdoh T, Prabhakaran D, Reddy KS, Ramakrishnan L: Socio-demographic patterning of non-communicable disease risk factors in rural India: a cross sectional study.

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Diabetes Care , 27 Suppl 1 — Zucchi P, Ferrari P, Spina ML: Diabetic foot: from diagnosis to therapy. G Ital Nefrol , 22 Suppl 31 :SS PubMed Google Scholar. World health organization: Diabetes — Factsheet. Mohan D, Raj D, Shanthirani CS, Datta M, Unwin NC, Kapur A: Awareness and knowledge of diabetes in Chennai - The Chennai urban rural epidemiology study.

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Indian J Med Res , — CAS PubMed Google Scholar. Katulanda P, Constantine GR, Mahesh JG, Sheriff R, Seneviratne RD, Wijeratne S: Prevalence and projections of diabetes and pre-diabetes in adults in Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka Diabetes, Cardiovascular Study SLDCS.

Diabet Med , 25 9 — Wagner EH, Austin BT, Davis C, Hindmarsh M, Schaefer J, Bonomi A: Improving chronic illness care: translating evidence into action. Health Aff Millwood , 20 6 — UKPDS: Intensive blood-glucose control with sulphonylureas or insulin compared with conventional treatment and risk of complications in patients with type 2 diabetes UKPDS Lancet , — Article Google Scholar.

Ohkubo Y, Kishikawa H, Araki E, Miyata T, Isami S, Motoyoshi S: Intensive insulin therapy prevents the progression of diabetic micro-vascular complications in Japanese patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: a randomized prospective 6-year study.

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Diabetes Voice , 50 1 — Chew LD: The impact of low health literacy on diabetes outcomes. Diabetes Voice , 49 3 — Grey M, Thurber FW: Adaptation to chronic illness in childhood: diabetes mellitus.

J Pediatr Nurs , 6 5 — Glasgow RE, Hiss RG, Anderson RM, Friedman NM, Hayward RA, Marrero DG: Report of the health care delivery work group: behavioral research related to the establishment of a chronic disease model for diabetes care. Diabetes Care , 24 1 — BMJ , Health Educ Res , 18 2 — Paterson B, Thorne S: Developmental evolution of expertise in diabetes self management.

Clin Nurs Res , 9 4 — Etzwiler DD: Diabetes translation: a blueprint for the future. Diabetes Care , 17 Suppl. Bradley C: Handbook of Psychology and Diabetes. Chur, Switzerland: Harwood Academic; Johnson SB: Health behavior and health status: concepts, methods and applications.

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Talk with others who are living well with diabetes and kidney disease. They can understand your situation in a special way and give you support. Get tested for kidney disease. Having diabetes puts you at risk for developing kidney disease.

Ask your healthcare team to be tested for kidney disease. You should be tested for kidney disease at least once a year. Learn more. Learn all you can about keeping your diabetes under control, and be sure to learn about your risk for kidney disease. Stay informed, take charge of your health, and always be an active member of your healthcare team.

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Organization s : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC. Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support Website Provides links to resources and tools to help communities develop, promote, implement and sustain diabetes self-management education and support DSMES programs.

Includes a DSMES toolkit, technical assistance guide, policies, reports, and several case studies. Diabetes Self-Management Program DSMP Website Describes the Stanford self-management model, an evidence-based program delivered by certified trainers, designed to improve diabetes self-management practices.

The trainers are non-health professionals who may have diabetes themselves and have completed the master training program.

Includes educational resources that supplement the program curriculum. Organization s : Self-Management Resource Center. My Diabetes Self-Management Goal Document A worksheet helpful to individuals when managing their diabetes and setting personal health goals.

Menu Search. Evidence-based Toolkits FORHP Funded Programs Economic Impact Analysis Tool Community Health Gateway Testing New Approaches Care Management Reimbursement.

In this Toolkit Modules 1: Introduction Diabetes Overview Rural Concerns Education and Care 2: Program Models Clinical Partnerships Model Self-Management Model Telehealth Model Community Health Worker Model School Model Faith-Based Model 3: Program Clearinghouse Mariposa Community Health Center Meadows Regional Medical Center Tri-County Health Network St.

Mary's Hospitals and Clinics St. Rural Health Tools for Success Evidence-based Toolkits Rural Diabetes Prevention and Management Toolkit 2: Program Models View more Self-Management Model Diabetes self-management refers to the activities and behaviors an individual undertakes to control and treat their condition.

Diabetes self-management typically occurs in the home and includes: Testing blood sugar glucose Consuming balanced meals and appropriate portion sizes Engaging in regular exercise Drinking water and avoiding dehydration Taking medications as prescribed Adjusting medications as needed Conducting self-foot checks Monitoring other signs or symptoms caused by diabetes People with diabetes can learn self-management skills through diabetes self-management education and support DSMES programs.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of this disease. Type 2 diabetes compromises your body's ability to regulate your blood glucose sugar levels. Every cell in the human body needs the energy to function efficiently. Typically, the body obtains this energy by extracting glucose or sugar from the energy-rich foods we consume, such as carbohydrates, or from stored fuel called glycogen, which is found in our liver and muscles.

The glucose is absorbed from the digestive tract, liver, or muscles into the bloodstream. To use this glucose for energy, the body needs a hormone called insulin to transport the glucose inside our cells, where it is metabolized to form energy.

The insulin hormone along with digestive enzymes is made and stored in the pancreas, located in the upper abdomen behind the stomach. In type 2 diabetes, genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors can result in damage to the pancreas that then decreases insulin levels in the body. These same factors can also prevent insulin from transporting glucose easily into the cells for energy production.

This interference with insulin and glucose transport is referred to as insulin resistance. Both the decreased insulin production by the pancreas and the insulin resistance lead to less glucose being transported into cells for essential energy and higher levels of glucose circulating in the bloodstream.

If left untreated, high levels of blood glucose can cause dysfunction and tissue damage throughout the body. These effects are expressed as different signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes has many signs and symptoms , most of which develop slowly.

It can take several years for these to show up. The following are the main signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes:. Increased thirst.

Frequent urination. Increased hunger. Unintended weight loss. Blurred vision. Slow-healing sores. Frequent infections.

Darkened skin areas around the armpit and neck regions. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, consult your healthcare professional as soon as possible.

Genetics and family history play a very strong role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Environmental and lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, stress, pollutants, and climate also strongly influence the development of type 2 diabetes. Additionally, people above 40 are more likely to develop the disease, although recent studies³ have reported a rise in cases among young people due to the adoption of a more sedentary lifestyle.

The following factors increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes:. Obesity or overweight. Type 2 diabetes in family members. Obesity or overweight in family members.

Lack of regular exercise due to a sedentary lifestyle. Carrying excess weight around your midsection. High blood pressure. A low level of HDL cholesterol or high level of triglycerides in the blood.

Diabetes in pregnancy gestational diabetes or delivery of a baby weighing 9 pounds 4 kg or more. Polycystic ovary syndrome. It's important to diagnose and treat type 2 diabetes as early as possible to prevent the many associated complications.

If left untreated, elevated blood glucose levels caused by type 2 diabetes can result in:. Eye problems, including diabetic retinopathy. Kidney disease. Heart disease. Increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Skin conditions such as slow healing sores and fungal and bacterial infections. Foot infections and risk of amputation. Sexual dysfunction. Hearing problems. The terms self-management and self-care describe how a person with type 2 diabetes can take charge of their own daily health care.

Both terms refer to your daily routine and the activities you choose to look after your physical, mental, and emotional health. It's important to develop your self-care management routine with the help of your healthcare providers. Following a type 2 diabetes self-care plan can reduce the likelihood of diabetes complications and improve your quality of life.

Self-care requires knowledge about diabetes, its treatment, and how to adapt to living with a long-term medical condition. An efficient diabetes self-care plan combines behavioral changes, enhanced problem-solving skills, and learning how to cope when challenges come up.

Developing a self-care routine allows you to maintain an independent, active, and healthy lifestyle. However, this doesn't mean that you need to do it all alone.

Central to your self-care is being able to count on your healthcare professionals, family members, and peers to support your self-management plan.

Living with diabetes means paying attention to your diet, physical activity, your reactions to certain situations such as stress, and managing your medication. An ideal self-care plan includes:. Access to high-quality information and structured education.

Tailored care strategies that meet your individual needs and way of life. Supportive people to help you to live well with type 2 diabetes. The American Associations of Clinical Endocrinologists advocates for individuals with type 2 diabetes to become active and knowledgeable participants in their self-care routine.

Likewise, the World Health Organization recognizes the value of teaching people to manage their diabetes. People with extensive diabetes knowledge are better equipped to take effective preventive measures to avoid diabetes-related complications.

People with diabetes should ideally have ready access to helpful information in various formats such as written, electronic, and verbal. Healthcare professionals are trustworthy sources of diabetes self-management information.

They can provide context for this information and what it means for you as an individual. Self-management support and education are critical for people recently diagnosed with diabetes and those with an established diagnosis.

A supported self-care action plan for diabetes management will provide you with the skills and confidence you need to deal with your diabetes. Following a type 2 diabetes self-care plan has many upsides, including:.

Reducing primary care consultations, outpatient appointments, and diabetes-related emergencies. Improved communication with your health care providers.

Greater knowledge and understanding of type 2 diabetes. Reduced admissions to hospitalized and shorter hospital stays. Less stress, pain, tiredness, depression, and anxiety. The confidence to adapt to the everyday challenges of living with type 2 diabetes. Improved blood glucose levels.

Decreased risk of developing diabetes complications. A healthier lifestyle and better quality of life. Regular physical activity has numerous benefits for people with diabetes, including: Improved insulin sensitivity, which helps the body use insulin more effectively Lower blood sugar levels and better overall blood sugar control Increased energy and reduced fatigue Weight management, which reduces the risk of diabetes-related complications Lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease Experts recommend 3 at least minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week, along with muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week.

Mental Self-Care Mental self-care involves taking care of your mental and emotional health. Some effective mental self-care strategies for people with diabetes include: Practicing mindfulness e. Yoga, Journaling, Breathing Methods, Meditation etc. to increase awareness and reduce stress Seeking professional help, such as counselling or therapy, to address emotional challenges related to diabetes Engaging in hobbies and activities that bring you joy and relaxation Building a solid support network of your family, friends, and fellow people with diabetes Prioritizing sleep and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule to promote mental and emotional well-being These practices will help you manage the emotional and mental toll of living with the condition and improve your quality of life.

Enriched Information for Your Healthcare Team Your healthcare team plays a critical role in your diabetes management, but they can only help you as much as the information you provide them.

Conclusion Strive to build self-care practices and do them on a daily basis as they help you manage your condition more effectively and improve your quality of life.

Sources: Bonoto BC, de Araújo VE, Godói IP, de Lemos LL, Godman B, Bennie M, Diniz LM, Junior AA. Efficacy of Mobile Apps to Support the Care of Patients With Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. doi: PMID: ; PMCID: PMC El-Gayar O, Timsina P, Nawar N, Eid W. Mobile applications for diabetes self-management: status and potential. J Diabetes Sci Technol. Lin EH, Von Korff M, Alonso J, Angermeyer MC, Anthony J, Bromet E, Bruffaerts R, Gasquet I, de Girolamo G, Gureje O, Haro JM, Karam E, Lara C, Lee S, Levinson D, Ormel JH, Posada-Villa J, Scott K, Watanabe M, Williams D.

Mental disorders among persons with diabetes—results from the World Mental Health Surveys. J Psychosom Res. Epub Oct Bădescu SV, Tătaru C, Kobylinska L, Georgescu EL, Zahiu DM, Zăgrean AM, Zăgrean L. The association between Diabetes mellitus and Depression.

J Med Life. Tags: blood sugar diabetes diabetes management exercise important stress. Share This Article. Share on Facebook Share on Facebook Tweet Share on Twitter Pin it Share on Pinterest Share on LinkedIn Share on LinkedIn.

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