Tips to Help You 

Stay Healthy

Taking action to manage your diabetes 

can help you feel good today and stay 

healthy in the future.
Work with your doctor and other health care team members 

to make a diabetes care plan that works for you. 

Follow these four steps. 

Step 1:

Learn About Diabetes

Diabetes means that your blood glucose 

(sugar) is too high. Diabetes is serious 

because it can damage your heart, blood 

vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves. But 

you can learn how to manage it and 

prevent or delay health problems. 

n Take a class and join a support group 

about living with diabetes. Check 

with your health care team, hospital, 

or area health clinic.

n Read about diabetes online. 

Go to www.YourDiabetesInfo.org.

n Ask your diabetes health care team 

how you can learn more. 

James and his wife check online resources about diabetes.

Step 2:

Know Your Numbers

Ask your doctor what diabetes target 

numbers are best for you. They may be 

different from the numbers below. 

n A1C measures your average blood 

glucose level over the past 2 to 3 

months.The A1C target for many 

people is below 7.

n LDL, or bad cholesterol, builds up 

and clogs your arteries. The LDL 

target is below 100.

n High blood pressure makes your 

heart work too hard. The blood 

pressure target for most people is 

less than 130/80.

Step 3:

Manage Your Diabetes

Your diabetes care plan should help 

you to: 

n Keep track of your diabetes 

numbers.

n Learn how and when to check 

your own blood glucose.

• See what makes your blood glucose go 

up or down.

• Go over the test results with your 

health care team. Use them to manage 

your diabetes. 

• Ask how to prevent low blood glucose.

n Be active for 30 to 60 minutes

on most days of the week. Brisk 

walking is a great way to be active.

n Stop smoking.

Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-

8669).
n Eat healthy foods such as:

• fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meats and 

poultry, dried peas or beans, lentils, 

and low-fat or skim milk and cheese

• whole grain foods such as whole wheat 

bread and crackers, oatmeal, brown 

rice, and cereals

• food prepared with little added fat, 

oil, salt, or sugar

• smaller servings of meat, fish and 

poultry

• larger servings of fruits and vegetables.

n Seek help if you feel down.

Talking with a counselor, friend, family 

member, support group, or a religious 

leader may help you feel better.

n Take your medicines even when 

you feel good. Ask if you need to 

take low-dose aspirin to prevent 

a heart attack or stroke. 

n Check your feet every day.

Call your health care team if a cut, 

sore, blister, or bruise on your feet 

or toes does not begin to go away 

after 2 days.

Emma prepares a healthy meal for her family.

n Brush your teeth and floss every 

day to prevent problems with your 

mouth, teeth, or gums.

n Tell your health care team if your 

eyesight changes.

Step 4:

Get Regular Care 

n Contact your health care team if you 

have any questions or problems as you 

manage your diabetes, medicines, or 

supplies.

n Use “My Diabetes Care Record” on 

the last page to track your diabetes 

numbers and checkups with your 

doctor or health care team.

n Talk to your doctor if you plan to 

get pregnant.

n Ask what diabetes services are 

covered by Medicare and other 

insurance. To learn more about 

Medicare go to: bit.ly/mc-diabetes.

www.YourDiabetesInfo.org or 1-888-693-NDEP (1-888-693-6337)

Jane asks her doctor what target numbers 

are best for her.
Take action to be healthy and control your diabetes for life. 

Write down: One or more reasons I have to manage my diabetes: 

One or more things I will work on over the next 3 months to carry out my 

diabetes care plan:

People who can help me do these things are: 

My Diabetes Care Record

Date Result Date Result Date Result

Each visit

Blood pressure

My target is:

Foot check

Review 

self-care plan

Weight check 

My target is:

At least twice 

a year

A1C 

My target is:

Once a year

Cholesterol-LDL

My target is

Complete foot 

exam

Dental exam

Eye exam (with 

drops in your 

eyes)

Flu Shot

Kidney check

At least once

Pneumonia shot

Set goals you can reach. 

Break a big goal into small 

steps. Maybe you could start 

with a goal to walk half a 

mile each day. Then increase 

the distance each week or 

so until you are walking two 

or more miles each day. 

Give yourself a healthy 

reward for doing well. 

HHS’ NDEP is jointly sponsored by NIH and 

CDC with the support of more than 200 

partner organizations.

www.YourDiabetesInfo.org 

or 1-888-693-NDEP 

(1-888-693-6337)

TTY: 1-866-569-1162

Sandra Parker, R.D., C.D.E., American Dietetic 

Association representative to the NDEP, 

reviewed this material for technical accuracy.

The NDEP prints on recycled paper with biobased ink.

Revised February 2011 

NIH Publication No. 11-4351 

NDEP-8