Do you have diabetes? It's very important to take your meals and insulin at the right time! (Diabetes: Meal & Insulin Timing)

If you have diabetes, your main goal is to control your blood sugar levels. One of the best ways to do this is to stick to a routine when it comes to eating and taking your diabetes medications, especially insulin. Doing so will help to keep your blood sugar levels from going too high or too low.

Once your doctor diagnoses you with diabetes, he and the medical team will work with you to discuss these things and create a plan that's right for you.

• What do you want to eat?
• What medications do you need?
• How often should you check your blood sugar levels?
• The importance of exercise and weight loss.

Of all these, the time you take your insulin is very important because the meal you eat needs to match the dose of insulin you take.

Let's take care of food and drink.

Simply put, what you eat determines how much sugar you add to your blood and how quickly it rises. Carbohydrates , especially foods like bread, rice, and potatoes, have the biggest and fastest impact on blood sugar levels. But what you eat and when you eat it are just as important.

If you eat the same amount of food (especially carbohydrates) at the same time every day, it will help keep your blood sugar levels at the same level. This has another advantage. Think about it, if you have planned your meals at regular times, you will always be tempted to eat the right things. Otherwise, when you are really hungry, you will be tempted to eat anything that comes to hand, even if it is not good for your body. Or you may even eat more than you want.

For many people with diabetes, it is best to space out their meals throughout the day in this way.

You don't have to think about these meals and times alone. Your doctor can refer you to a nutritionist (Nutrition Specialist or Dietitian) to help you create a meal plan that's right for you. He or she will think about your nutrition and help you choose foods that you like to eat and that are within your budget.

Once your doctor and dietitian have created a meal plan for you, you can create a daily action plan to follow that plan. You should create it by adding things that you can actually do . For example, you could add a healthy snack like fruit in the afternoon a few days a week, or count the number of carbohydrates you eat for dinner.

Take your medicine on time.

The type of medication you are given will depend on the type of diabetes you have. Your doctor may prescribe insulin, which you will often have to inject yourself. Or they may prescribe pills or other injections to control your blood sugar.

Your doctor may plan your medication doses based on the amount of carbohydrates you eat. In such cases, it is important to take your meals and medications at the same time . Otherwise, your blood sugar levels may suddenly rise or fall.

The schedule you need to take your medication will depend on the type of medication your doctor prescribes. You may need to take your insulin only once a day, or you may need to take it several times a day.

If you are prescribed medication to take multiple times a day, it may include things like:

• A basic dose given throughout the day: This is called a basal dose .
• Additional doses given with meals: This is called a bolus dose .

Different medications may need to be taken at different times. For example, if you have an extended-release pill that works throughout the day, you may be told to take one every morning. Other medications need to be taken with food.

Extra help: Exercise

Along with eating right and taking your medication on time, exercise is also a great way to control your diabetes. Physical activity provides these benefits:

Your blood sugar levels are usually highest about an hour after you eat a meal or snack. So, doing some exercise after eating helps your body use up that sugar. How does that work? When your muscles work, they use the sugar in your blood to give them energy.

You don't have to do a lot of strenuous exercise to get this benefit. Even a short, light activity of 10-15 minutes is enough.

• A little walk
• Taking the dog for a walk
• Putting a ball in the basket
• Cleaning the kitchen

But if you want to do some strenuous exercise , be sure to talk to your doctor first. Because strenuous exercise can cause your blood sugar levels to drop suddenly. That's not a good thing. Your medical team can help you create an exercise plan that fits your diet and medication plan.

Check your sugar levels regularly.

Your diet, medication, and exercise all revolve around your blood sugar levels, so you need to check them regularly.

Your doctor will tell you how many times a day you should check your blood sugar. This will depend on the type of diabetes you have and the amount of insulin or other medications you take.

• If you take insulin several times a day, you will need to check your blood sugar before each meal and before going to bed at night.
• You take.With long-acting insulin, you may only need to check your blood sugar before breakfast and dinner.
• If you are taking other medications other than insulin, you may not need to check your blood sugar every day.

If you're a heavy exerciser, you need to be extra careful about your blood sugar levels. Physical activity can affect your blood sugar levels for hours, and possibly the next day. So, you'll need to check your blood sugar levels before, during, and after you exercise.