Health Awareness: Make Your Investments

Health awareness days, weeks and months are dedicated to spreading the word about important health topics that are affecting us greatly.  Your overall health includes not only your physical health but also your mental, emotional, social and spiritual health. Having type 2 diabetes doesn’t mean you are unable to have a high quality of overall health.  

Knowing the basics to help you understand your body and make a better plan for your overall health with type 2 will help you live better now and in future years from now. Your health is just like a long term financial investment.  You might not want to invest the money now, or see the benefits initially but the long term gains are substantial and worth it!  Just like any other investment the earlier you do it, and the more time it has to grow, the better. Here are the biggest ways you can invest in your overall health with type 2. 

Invest with Doctors Checks

We cannot stress enough that regular doctors checks are important for all type 2’s!!! If you have a chronic condition such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or other medical problems, speaking with your doctor about the steps they recommend can reduce symptoms and improve your quality of life.  Seeing your doctor every year for an annual checkup is one of the most important things you can do for your health. It can help identify potential issues before they start, and early detection of illnesses often leads to more treatment options.  

Feel empowered to advocate for your own health. Don’t brush off a health concern, or assume something will get better over time. There could be a simple solution to discomfort or symptoms that an expert can provide you with. Also, something that seems small, may be the key to reaching your healthiest self. As for the time or the cost, chronic or untreated illness or disease will take more of your time and money than a routine health exam. 

Invest by Being a Lifelong Learner

Be a lifelong learner on the topic of how you can achieve the best quality of overall health.  There are many things in our lives we cannot control.  But, many things that impact our health are things we can choose! What we eat, daily choices we can make to improve our overall health, tools to help maintain a daily health routine. Arming ourselves with more knowledge gives us the power to choose. 

Joining an online community such as our Winning Type 2 Diabetes Together community, is one way to gain valuable information while building your support network.  Individuals with diabetes can better manage their illness on a day-to-day and long-term basis when they have a strong support network around them. Friends, family, coworkers, and partners can all contribute to a person’s wellbeing.  Whether it is through an online community, or having regular conversations with type 2’s and those without to spread awareness, talking is therapy and talking is power. The more you learn and share the easier it can be to manage stress and the more tools you have to improve and maintain quality mental, emotional and social health with type 2.  

Invest in Choosing the Right Fuel

You are what you eat and what we eat is our fuel for better or worse. What we eat impacts our glucose and other chemicals in our body. Food and exercise are like drugs because they change what’s happening in your body.

Healthy meal planning can provide you proper nutrition and structure. That way your sugar levels will not constantly spike or crash. And leave you wondering how to balance your glucose levels again. Knowing which healthy food choices to make and the right portion sizes to choose will empower you to remain in control of your diabetes.

There are plenty of type 2’s that do not need to lose weight or were never overweight.  However, if you do have weight to lose there are a lot of advantages in doing it. It can aid in the control of blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol. A healthy meal plan with reduced calories can help your weight loss. Furthermore, there is clear evidence that losing weight will help you remission from type 2 diabetes.

Invest by Planning Your Next Move

Make an exercise plan. Whether you want to use exercise as a tool for weight loss or a tool to help achieve better overall health, exercise helps manage prediabetes and type 2 diabetes by lowering blood glucose levels and improving insulin sensitivity throughout the body.  Begin with the end in mind to better plan your investment.  

Make your plan according to your goals, do you want to lose 10 pounds? Do you want to reach your goal of running a half marathon? Do you want to improve flexibility or muscle density? After you pick your goal you can make your plan and start gradually. Plan your next move by monitoring your progress honestly and make adjustments as you go.  Remember, no one wakes up one day and runs a perfectly timed marathon with no injuries, even an olympian athlete… goals take planning, and a dedication to consistency (failures and setbacks included!). 

Health Awareness Month is a great time to take a look at how you are investing in your health.  Continue focusing on the cornerstones of good health with type 2; doctors checks, support and learning, nutrition and exercise.  We are wishing you a healthy June with the highest quality of overall health.