As we gear up for another National American Diabetes Association Alert Day on March 27, the team at AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah wants to help those diagnosed with diabetes learn how to better care for their health and their condition. Manage Diabetes & Avoid Complications According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 30 million American adults have diabetes. If you are one of them, explore ways you can help keep your medical condition under control to help avoid complications. First, you want to make sure you are maintaining a healthy weight. Being obese or overweight can put you at an increased risk of experiencing diabetes complications. Losing just 5 percent of your body weight can have a substantial impact in helping you remain healthy. Second, you want to check your blood sugar regularly during the day. Your doctor will recommend a frequency for how often you should check your levels—as well as what your target glucose range is. Keeping a food and activity journal along with a recording of your blood sugar levels can help you and your physician find patterns between high and low blood sugar levels to find out what is working and what is not. Finally, regular exercise is another great way to help keep your diabetes under control since exercise can help to reduce the amount of glucose in your blood, as well as help you maintain a healthy weight. To keep you energized and engaged, you want to find physical activities you are interested in! That way, you are more apt to keep up your exercise routine, which in turn can help keep your diabetes under control. When was the last time you visited a physician? Regular checkups are vital when aiming to keep your diabetes under control. Visit AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah today to ensure your health is in good shape and you’re managing your diabetes effectively!