Take Care of Yourself … Take Care of Your Diabetes

Source: American Diabetes Association

The good news is that there’s a lot you can do to stay healthy. Research shows that if you keep your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol close to target, you may prevent or delay serious health problems.

You can start by knowing your targets.

Get a dilated eye exam every year. Be sure your eye doctor uses eye drops to see the back of your eye.

Have your blood pressure checked at every visit. High blood pressure damages your blood vessels. This increases your risk for a stroke and heart, kidney, and eye problems. Try to keep your blood pressure under 130/80.

Get a blood cholesterol check at least once a year. High cholesterol can cause heart problems. You can lower your risk by aiming for these numbers.

 * Total cholesterol below 200
 * LDL cholesterol below 100
 * HDL cholesterol above 45
 * Triglycerides below 150

Ask your health care provider for a complete foot exam at least once a year. Have an exam more often if you have foot problems.

Check your feet every day. Look for foot problems before they get serious.

Setting Blood Sugar Goals

Talk with your health care team about your target blood sugar ranges, and then fill in the blanks below after you print out this page.

My blood sugar target range when I wake up and before meals: _____ to ____
(American Diabetes Association standard: average of 90 to 130)

My blood sugar target range before bedtime: _____ to _____
(American Diabetes Association standard: average of 110 to 150)

Know Your Targets

The American Diabetes Association suggests these targets for most people with diabetes. You may have different targets. You can record your targets and your results in the space provided below after you print out this page.