
Caring for Your Body With Type 2 Diabetes
Moisturizer, toothpaste, a water bottle, and sunglasses: These might sound like things to pack for a weekend getaway, but they're actually an essential part of a diabetes hygiene plan that covers you from head to toe and keeps you healthy.
That’s because, when you have diabetes, your blood vessels help transport glucose and insulin throughout the body. But when you have unmanaged high blood sugar, these blood vessels can also become damaged, which can in turn cause damage to various parts your body. So if you have diabetes, caring for your entire body is essential to help protect your overall health.
Here's how to give yourself some serious TLC to help avoid many possible diabetes complications related to:
Your skin. Getting enough water is important to good skin care with diabetes. That's because skin dries more easily with poorly controlled blood sugar, says Dianne Brown, CDE, a certified diabetes educator with the Adult Diabetes & Endocrinology Clinic, part of the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center at the University of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. Dry skin is a concern because it can develop cracks. "This can allow bacteria to enter and cause a skin infection,” Brown says. Keep you skin hydrated and healthy by drinking plenty of water throughout the day, eating a diet that’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids, avoiding bathing in very hot baths and showers, using mild soaps, moisturizing immediately after bathing. If you do notice any skin problems, be sure to tell your doctor.
Your eyes. Diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of adult blindness, according to the U.S. Centers
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