Diabetes Quiz: Test Your Type 2 IQ

There is no best diet for diabetes. They all have strengths and weaknesses. You need a weight loss plan that is healthy, realistic, and that you can commit to for lasting change. Ask your doctor or dietitian to help you make a food and exercise plan that's right for you. 

Many people can keep good blood sugar levels without medicine. The key is to lose any extra weight, exercise regularly, watch your meal portions, and spread the carbohydrates you eat throughout the day.

If you're already taking diabetes medication, you may be able to work with your doctor to cut back or even stop taking it if you lose weight or become more active.

A cup (8 ounces) of low-fat milk or four or five saltine crackers can give you a quick pick up if your blood glucose drops.

If you take medicine that can make your blood sugar drop, always carry a 15-gram fast-acting carb snack. That could be five or six pieces of hard candy, three or four glucose tablets, or 2 tablespoons of raisins. Recheck your blood sugar in 15 minutes and eat again if it's still low. Keep doing this until your blood sugar gets better.

You may eventually have to take insulin even if you’ve done a good job controlling your blood glucose for a long time with diet and exercise. In some people, type 2 diabetes can get worse with time. Your body may make less insulin as you age. Or you may become resistant to insulin because of weight gain or stress.

Taking insulin injections adds to all the other work you’ve done and helps keep your blood glucose at a healthy level.

It's OK to use your forearm, thigh, or even the fleshy part of your hand with some blood glucose meters. But it's still best to test blood from your fingertip, especially when you feel low blood sugars coming on, after meals or taking insulin, when you’re exercising, or when you're sick or stressed. Blood sugar levels in your fingertips show changes faster than other parts of the body. To avoid sore fingertips, prick the side of your finger, near the nail.

Losing even a few pounds can improve your blood glucose control. For example, if you weigh 180 pounds, losing 9 to 18 pounds can lower your blood sugar. Talk to your doctor about a weight loss plan that will work for you. Ask the dietitian on your diabetes care team for advice, too.

You should get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week. That's 30 minutes of aerobics at least 5 days a week.

Walking counts, as long as you're working hard enough that you can't sing. You should also do strength training two or three times a week, using weight machines, handheld weights, resistance bands, or your own body weight for resistance. A certified trainer can show you how to do each move.

The A1c test tells you how much extra glucose has been in your bloodstream over the past few months. For most people with diabetes, 7% or less is a good goal, especially during the first few years after diagnosis. A higher A1c means complications are more likely.

Type 2 diabetes, especially if it's not well controlled, makes gum disease more likely. Severe gum disease, in turn, can raise your blood sugar, making it harder to control. Besides brushing, flossing and rinsing with an antiseptic mouthwash daily, get regular dental checkups and exams. See your dentist right away if your gums are swollen, tender, or bleeding, or pull away from your teeth (are receding).

You can't always prevent hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, and some people may not feel it when it happens. But by monitoring your blood sugar and knowing the symptoms, you can treat it before it gets dangerous.

Sweating, hunger, pale skin, and trouble focusing are other symptoms. If your blood sugar is low or you can't check it, take some quick-acting sugar like juice, a tablespoon of honey, or 4 teaspoons of sugar. Wait 15 minutes, check again, and repeat until you feel normal.