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Learning how to manage your diabetes is vital if you or someone you love has this disease. You cannot always rely on what you hear or see either. You need to make sure the information you're receiving is accurate. Check out these expert tips and tactics if you need to know how to manage diabetes.

When dealing with a child that has diabetes, be sure that you include the entire family along with the special dietary plan that the child has to endure. This will make it much easier for the child to handle, as opposed to having to watch other people eat foods that they might desire.

If you're a diabetic looking for a snack, make sure to choose something with 150 calories or less. Snacks have a tendency to make you go overboard and replace a full meal. Make sure you are truly hungry when you are reaching for a snack and not just using it as a boredom buster.

To make sure you get the most out of your doctor's appointments, write down questions before the appointment. A doctor is a great resource to anyone suffering from diabetes, and you should make sure to take full advantage of their knowledge. Don't be afraid to ask for lots of information. Your doctor will be happy to help you better manage your condition.

Get moving. Staying active can help reduce your risk for diabetes, and can help control the disease after diagnosis. An hour long walk every day is enough to make a significant impact. You can also increase your walking in everyday activities to boost the amount of exercise you get. Park farther from the store in the parking lot, and do an extra lap around the mall when you are out shopping.

For people with diabetes, it is important to check your glucose level after heavy exercise. Exercise can keep consuming glucose for up to 24 hours later, so it's best to check your glucose level every 45 minutes or so after your workout to see if your glucose level is dropping or remaining stable.

Instead of three large meals, try four or five small meals a day. This helps reduce hunger and may prevent your body from switching to a fasting state. Benefits include reduced glucose levels after eating, reduced insulin requirements, and decreased cholesterol levels. Nibbling doesn't work for everyone. Diabetes drugs like acarbose can slow food absorption and have a similar effect.

Do not skip any meals if you are a diabetic. Doing that will cause you to be more hungry when it is time to eat and you will probably eat much more than you would have otherwise. This will lead to higher than usual blood sugar levels so it should be avoided.

Taking care of your teeth is extremely important when you have diabetes. When you have high levels of glucose in your system, you will also have that in your saliva which will bring about tooth decay. When you have diabetes, it is harder for you to fight any type of infection, so if you get gum disease it will be more serious than if a healthy person develops it.

If you have diabetes, it is extremely important to care for your feet on a daily basis. By doing so, you can detect any problems before they become serious. Nerve damage can cause a small wound to go undetected. It is very easy for wounds on the feet to develop infections, which can lead to gangrene if left untreated. Wash and dry your feet carefully every day, keeping an eye out for any cuts or scratches that don't seem to be healing. Also look for signs of inflammation, such as redness or swelling, and black or blue areas that appear to be bruised, which can be a sign of poor blood flow.

The best part about the tips you've just read in the article above is that they're all accurate, current and were compiled by various experts who know a thing or few about managing diabetes. If you can take advantage of this information, you can thrive while living with this disease.