Control High Blood Sugar— for Life

Here’s a battle plan to prevent complications of diabetes

A Family Approach to Health

Northampton residents Fran and Bob Casapulla and their daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca and Keith Domalewski, are all coping with diabetes or diabetes risk. Each Saturday they gather to plan the coming week’s healthy menus.

The Big Three

Blood sugar control reduces your risk for diabetic complications, but it’s just one part of the picture, says family physician Jack Lenhart, M.D. “You also need to control your blood pressure and blood lipids, such as cholesterol and triglycerides.”

Here are the targets to aim for:

Blood pressure: 130/80 or below
LDL cholesterol: 70 or less
Blood sugar: Less than 110 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) before meals
Less than 140 mg/dL two hours after meals

If you have type 2 diabetes, you know it can wreak havoc with your blood sugar. What you might not know is how dangerous that is. Elevated blood glucose can lead to eye and kidney disease and circulatory problems. “Adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have a stroke or die of heart disease,” says endocrinologist Sumon Agarwala, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network.

Clearly, controlling your blood sugar is vital—in one study, researchers found that tight control reduces your heart attack and stroke risk by almost half. Yet at least 70 percent of people with type 2 diabetes don’t have good blood-sugar control. It’s an alarming statistic.

The reasons for poor blood sugar control are many and varied. Some people just don’t fully understand diabetes or its complications, says diabetes nurse practitioner Justine Fierman, C.R.N.P., at Lehigh Valley Hospital’s Helwig Health and Diabetes Center. If you don’t understand it, you can’t manage it. Diabetes isn’t a quick-fix disease. “You have to plan meals, monitor blood sugar, exercise and take medication,” Fierman says. “That’s not easy when you’re juggling a busy life.”

Some people don’t achieve tight control because they fear the side effects of diabetes medication. Especially feared is insulin. “We used to say, ‘If you don’t eat right and exercise, you’ll have to go on insulin.’ It sounded like a threat,” says family physician Jack Lenhart, M.D., of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network. “Now we tell people that taking insulin earlier in their treatment can help save the pancreas, because it will wear out eventually.”

Maintaining a healthy blood sugar level takes education, planning and teamwork, but it can be done. Fierman’s colleague, diabetes educator Sharnee Cederberg, R.N., offers these tips.

Learn! Get the information and skills you need to take care of yourself. Learn what to expect from your medications so you can minimize side effects. Stay informed on the newest glucose meters and other diabetes technology, medication and treatment approaches.

Plan “user-friendly” meals. A registered dietitian can help you develop meal plans and menus that work with your lifestyle.

Keep moving. Don’t worry about how much you can do at first—build up gradually. Walk around the block once or twice a week to start. More activity helps your natural insulin work better.

Review your plan and results often. Keep a blood-sugar log so you can see patterns to discuss with your doctor.

Consider diabetes management a team sport. You’re the manager, but your primary doctor, specialists, diabetes educator, family and friends are right there with you. Enlist your family’s help in meal planning and exercising. Ask a friend to join you for fitness or education sessions. Join a support group.

Shed some weight. The less you weigh, the more effectively you’ll produce and use insulin. Losing just 10-15 pounds can improve your blood sugar!

Quit smoking. It raises your risk for many health problems, especially if you have diabetes.

Reward yourself. Give yourself a night out, some new clothes or another favorite indulgence for good blood sugar control.

Want to Know More about how the Casapullas and other local families keep their blood sugar under control? Click here.

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