Diabetes Risk

Countering Complications

There are three vital aspects to managing your health and vitality when you live with diabetes during menopause: protection, management, and improvement. Staying strong and disease-free will take some care and attention, but rest assured that you have all the tools you need to keep control of your well-being.

• Protect your body. Good management begins with good planning. Ideally, you’ll want to talk with your doctor as soon as you begin to notice menopausal symptoms, so you know what changes to expect and how to deal with them. Get a good handle on important measurements, like your blood pressure, BMI, blood lipid level and any genetic factors that could affect your heart disease risk.Don’t forget about your bone health, since the majority of bone loss occurs within the first couple of years after the onset of menopause, and diabetes accelerates the process. Begin with a bone density scan, and consider adding calcium and vitamin D supplements at the outset to stay one step ahead of bone degeneration.
• Monitor your health. When you live with diabetes, you get used to checking various measurements frequently. But once you enter menopause, it’s important that you look beyond blood sugar, insulin level and general weight gain in order to stay on a healthy track.Since sleep is such a concern when it comes to metabolic and hormonal health, take a closer look at what might be messing with your shut eye. Check your blood glucose levels in the early hours of the morning to determine whether they are to blame for your restless night, or if your night sweats are waking you up. Keep a diary to track weight gain and emotional swings, and get in the habit of checking in with your doctor to ensure your medication dosages are appropriate for your symptoms.

• Make helpful changes. When it comes to fitness, regular cardiovascular activity is helpful, but resistance training is equally important. Wight bearing exercise helps to build and maintain bone density and range of motion, so incorporate some light weightlifting or bodyweight resistance a few days each week, and consider increasing your daily walk to a jog – the high impact movement is fantastic for both bones and muscles.One of the very best changes you can make during menopause is shifting your focus to yourself. It’s not a question of choosing yourself over the people you love, but rather favoring your health and comfort over the obligations and patterns that work against your well-being. Living with diabetes during menopause is a team effort, and your doctors have an important role to play, but it’s the little decisions you make each day that have the greatest impact on your health and longevity.