Motivation For Diabetes Care:

Reducing The Odds For
Early Symptoms Of Diabetes

Finding the motivation for diabetes care for the newly diagnosed patient is often the biggest stumbling block towards future success. Behavioral changes is the hardest part of adapting a new lifestyle for better diabetes care. Experts believe there is a five-step process every person goes through until they learn to sustain a new lifetime behavioral pattern.

• Pre-Contemplation- this person believes there might just be a problem but they are really not contemplating any changes to find out

• Contemplation- The person is now aware there is a problem but is thinking maybe they should plan some changes by getting up some motivation for diabetes care

• Preparation- They have now decided a change is definitely needed and actively plan how they should accomplish it

• Action- They are now setting in motion their plan of action decided on above

• Maintenance- They have adjusted somewhat to their new routine and are trying to prevent any future relapse

After testing for early symptoms of diabetes, diagnosis and counseling, each individual must work through this process for themselves mentally and physically. Help and support from family, friends and co-workers may make the journey easier, but ultimately the responsibility is on each and every diagnosed person themselves to apply their motivation for diabetes care to their new lifestyle.

Understanding and knowledge come into play during this phase. The diabetic has got to take the time, mentally and physically, to figure out why some food items must now be limited and others you can eat more frequently, pretty much as often as you like.

To aid in this process, your own at home glucose meter is an invaluable gift to guide you on each step of the rest of your life. It will teach you how your body reacts to all types of foods and how much your system can withstand in what quantities. You can literally see what the foods you eat, the quantities you ingest, the exercise you do, how all of these factor into your blood sugar levels all within minutes. By using this information, some good diabetic strategies can be built into a custom plan prepared just for you.

Role Of The Family In Diabetes Care

• Do not preach quality of life but gently remind the diabetic to think about the future- retirement, traveling, their grandkids etc.. None of these will be possible to enjoy with severe medical restrictions.

• Exercise is a four letter word in many people's vocabulary. So get inventive, and instead of pointing out the need for exercise, start a hobby that you both or the whole family can enjoy. Home gardening, bird watching on the nature trail, dance classes, the local bowling league or golf club etc, walking the dog, mowing your own lawn (with a walking push mower of course) etc.. This list can be endless. Pick something that requires a modicum of movement continuously because as long as you are in motion you are reaping the benefit of muscle-toning, weight loss and better cardio-vascular health. The important thing is to receive the benefits of diabetic exercise without the title to weigh down the individual's lack of motivation for any form of a structured exercise program.

• Make slow but positive changes to the family's diet. Throwing a new diet with everything they aren't familiar with at them can throw anyone into a deep depression and will dampen anyone's desire for change.

Time, education and a supportive team of advisers will slowly help the diabetic to realize their own motivation for diabetes care is the new reality for their future. Success always breeds more success. Help them get in the habit of using their glucose meter, taking that walk, eating those chicken strips with a wedge of string cheese instead of that whole bag of chocolate covered raisins. The information that meter will show them after the chicken snack is enough to make most people realize that chicken's not so bad after all.

Remember, having the early symptoms of diabetes is not the end "to the good life" but just a beginning to a new and better one for their future health. Your "deposits" of time and care today will lead to a new and brighter future for their health and the health of your family.

Return to "What Is Diabetes?" from "Motivation For Diabetes Care".