By: Sophia Villicana, CSUN Dietetic Intern
What if I said, if you learn how to self-manage your diabetes you reduce your risk of further complications? Living with type 2 diabetes can be challenging when you are on your own, but with further education and support it can be adapted into your lifestyle. “About 30.3 million people in the United States have diabetes and 114 million are at risk for developing the devastating complications.”1 Reduce the chance of being one of those 114 million people by learning about diabetes and how to cope with it. After being diagnosed with diabetes an educator comes in and briefly teaches you about foods you cannot eat, how to monitor your blood glucose, and then they are out the door. Does this sound familiar? Having in-depth education is essential when being diagnosed with diabetes or any other disease since it does require self-care.
The education you receive should be tailored to meet your individual needs. Seven essential self-care behaviors to know are: healthy eating, physical activity, monitoring blood glucose levels, medications, problem-solving techniques, healthy coping skills, and risk reduction.2 The Marilyn Magaram Center (MMC) offers a series of free diabetes self-management workshops known as Thrive with Diabetes, which has been awarded continued Recognition from the American Diabetes Association. The workshop covers healthy eating, exercise, monitoring your diabetes, and learning how to continue to stay motivated. Workshops are free for students, staff/faculty and the public. To join the workshop, call the MMC at (818) 677-3102 or email magaram.center@csun.edu to sign-up.
References
- Beck J, Greenwood DA, Blanton L, et al. 2017 National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support. Diabetes Care. 2017;40(10):1409-1419. doi:10.2337/dci17-0025
- Powers MA, Bardsley J, Cypress M, et al. Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support in Type 2 Diabetes: A Joint Position Statement of the American Diabetes Association, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2015;115(8):1323-1334. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2015.05.012