Live an Active, Healthy Life with Diabetes

by | Nov 3, 2017 | Diabetic Foot Care

At Omega Medical Group (OMG), we encourage all our patients and friends to live healthy, active, fulfilling lives! That applies whether you’re 8 years old or 80, and whether you’re a professional athlete or just starting to get into shape. And yes, it definitely applies if you’re one of the millions of Americans living with diabetes.

The benefits of healthy living are immense if you suffer from this common disease, whether you have type 1 or type 2. Exercising regularly and eating healthy foods will help you keep your sugar in better balance and greatly reduce the risk of developing complications like neuropathy. You’ll almost certainly experience better moods and handle stress better, too. It could be the difference between adding years of high-quality living and winding up with a deformity, disability, or even amputation.

Yet many people living with diabetes struggle with healthy living. Sometimes, it’s no more complicated than getting discouraged and having a hard time imagining yourself getting over that mountain. That’s totally understandable—establishing healthy habits takes time, and progress can seem brutally slow when you’re just beginning.

For others, complications from their diabetes might make certain types of exercise difficult or even risky. If you have severe neuropathy, for example, you might want to avoid high-impact exercise like running, since it may lead to injuries or wounds on your feet. It can be really frustrating—exercise is the most difficult or problematic just when you need it most.

We understand the concerns, the fears, the discouragement. But we also want to encourage you! It doesn’t matter if you’ve just been diagnosed or have lived with diabetes for decades. It doesn’t matter the shape you’re in right now. It is never too late to start, and you’re never too old, too out of shape, or too anything to start making healthy choices and improving your long-term quality of life.

For starters, if you have diabetes but haven’t gotten a comprehensive foot exam in more than a year, we strongly urge you to schedule an appointment with us at OMG. Of course, we’ll address any concerns, screen for any potential troubles (circulatory problems, nerve health, etc.). But we can also help you put together a plan for healthy living so you can take control of your long-term health and independence! This can include dietary advice, recommendations on foot-safe exercises and activities, and give you the encouragement you need to keep putting one foot in front of the other. To schedule an appointment with our team, please call today at (305) 514-0404.