Control Type 2 Diabetes With a Healthy Lifestyle

People who have type 2 diabetes can sometimes control their condition with diet and exercise, and avoid medication or reduce the dose they take. Even if you need medication to help control your diabetes, following a healthy meal plan and getting regular physical activity can help with control.

A healthy lifestyle will help you attain and maintain a healthy weight, manage your blood glucose level, lower blood pressure if you have high blood pressure, reduce stress and improve your mood.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), people with type 2 diabetes need to be aware of their total daily caloric intake. They also need to make sure they get appropriate amounts of carbohydrates, protein and fat, and adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals each day.

Here are healthy eating tips from the ADA:

Eat a wide variety of foods each day. Try new foods and eat a variety of foods within each section of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's My Pyramid food plan. Visit the USDA website at http://www.mypyramid.gov for more information.
Eat foods that are high in fiber. These include whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Eat less fat. Fats, particularly saturated fats and cholesterol, increase the risk for heart disease. Having type 2 diabetes puts you at greater risk for heart disease.
Use less added sugar. You don't have to give up dessert if you have type 2 diabetes, but you should practice moderation. Many sugar-free, low-calorie and low-fat desserts are available.
Don’t salt your food. When shopping or eating out, choose foods that are lower in sodium. Most of your daily sodium intake comes from processed foods.
Engage in moderate to vigorous physically activity daily. Try to get at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderate exercise each day, which can help with weight management and blood sugar control. Your exercise program should include aerobic exercise, activities that increases your heart and breathing rates; strength training; and stretching exercises to increase your flexibility. Check with your health care provider before starting an exercise program.
If your doctor has prescribed medications for you to take, it's important to balance the foods you eat with your medications and exercise to help maintain and manage blood sugar levels. Your doctor or dietitian can help you design a meal plan that works best for you and your lifestyle.

Related Video: Beating Type 2 Diabetes

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There's no one-size-fits-all solution to living well with diabetes, but our Type 2 patient experts have these tips to share with you.

Medical Reviewer: Medical Reviewer: Gerald W. Smetana, MD Last Annual Review Date: Last Annual Review Date: August 30, 2010 © 2013 Healthgrades, Inc. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced or reprinted without permission from Healthgrades, Inc. Use of this information is governed by the Healthgrades User Agreement.

Indications and Usage for Lantus® (insulin glargine [rDNA origin] injection)

Prescription Lantus® is a long-acting insulin used to treat adults with type 2 diabetes and adults and children (6 years and older) with type 1 diabetes for the control of high blood sugar. It should be taken once a day at the same time each day to lower blood glucose.

Do not use Lantus® to treat diabetic ketoacidosis.

Important Safety Information for Lantus® (insulin glargine [rDNA origin] injection)

Do not take Lantus® if you are allergic to insulin or any of the inactive ingredients in Lantus®.

You must test your blood sugar levels while using insulin, such as Lantus®. Do not make any changes to your dose or type of insulin without talking to your healthcare provider. Any change of insulin should be made cautiously and only under medical supervision.

Do NOT dilute or mix Lantus® with any other insulin or solution. It will not work as intended and you may lose blood sugar control, which could be serious. Lantus® must only be used if the solution is clear and colorless with no particles visible. Do not share needles, insulin pens or syringes with others.

The most common side effect of insulin, including Lantus®, is low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which may be serious. Some people may experience symptoms such as shaking, sweating, fast heartbeat, and blurred vision. Severe hypoglycemia may be serious and life threatening. It may cause harm to your heart or brain. Other possible side effects may include injection site reactions, including changes in fat tissue at the injection site, and allergic reactions, including itching and rash. In rare cases, some allergic reactions may be life threatening.

Tell your doctor about other medicines and supplements you are taking because they can change the way insulin works. Before starting Lantus®, tell your doctor about all your medical conditions including if you have liver or kidney problems, are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding or planning to breast-feed.

Lantus® SoloSTAR® is a disposable prefilled insulin pen. Please talk to your healthcare provider about proper injection technique and follow instructions in the Instruction Leaflet that accompanies the pen.

Please click here or the link below for the full prescribing information for Lantus®

Five days of tasty meals

Here's an example of a meal plan for people trying to control their weight or type 2 diabetes. Be sure to consult with your doctor or dietitian for the best meal plan for you:

Saturday

Breakfast: 2 small blueberry pancakes (1 starch, 1 fat, 1 fruit). Add less than a teaspoon of light tub margarine and 2 tablespoons sugar-free syrup, which don't count.

Mid-morning snack: 2 small tangerines (1 fruit), 1 cup plain fat-free yogurt (1 milk).

Lunch: Chef's salad: lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, onions, red pepper, topped with 1 ounce turkey, 1 hard-cooked egg, 1 ounce low-fat cheddar cheese (3 vegetable, 1 meat). Add 4 crisp bread sticks (2 starch).

Mid-afternoon snack: 3 cups microwave popcorn (1 starch, 1 fat). 1 cup reduced-calorie cranberry juice cocktail (1 fruit).

Dinner: 3-ounce top-grade steak (1 meat) with 1/2 cup steamed spinach, roasted Vidalia onion, carrots, zucchini and red pepper strips (3 vegetable); add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Large slice of bakery whole-grain bread (2 starch).

Evening snack: Sugar-free gelatin with 1 cup raspberries, topped with yogurt (1 fruit).

Sunday

Breakfast: 1/2 grapefruit, cereal, 1 cup skim milk (1 starch, 1 milk, 1 fruit).

Mid-morning snack: 4-ounce orange juice (1 fruit).

Lunch: Omelet of 1/2 cup egg substitute and 1 ounce low-fat cheese, chopped vegetables (1 meat, 1 vegetable), baked "home-fry" style potatoes with onions (1 starch), 2 slices rye toast (2 starch) with 1 teaspoon reduced fat margarine and 2 teaspoons low-sugar jam.