Simple reminders from your diabetes physician and the diabetes management team on use of medications, foot care, meals and exercise.

2. .
Exercise Reminders from your Diabetes
Physician
and the Diabetes Management Team
• Some activity is better than none.
• Check your blood glucose before and
after you exercise if you use insulin.
• Let us check on your heart health and
your eyes before you start moderate to
intense exercise.
• Warm up before exercise, slow down
after exercise.
• Let us know if you have joint pain which
keeps you from being able to exercise.
• Let us check your feet for neuropathy
before you start your exercise routine.

3. Exercise:
• improves blood glucose and
insulin sensitivity,
• reduces cardiovascular risk,
causes weight loss,
• reduces stress
• improves emotional well being.
• Use appropriate footwear when
you exercise.
• Drink water when you exercise.
• Speak with our personal trainer
about your exercise plan.

5. Diet Reminders from your Diabetes
Physician
and the Diabetes Management team
• Eat breakfast.
• Have 3 meals a day at regular times.
• Opt for low sugar or sugar-free
snacks and drinks/juice.
• Choose lean meats, and reduce dairy
foods.
• Choose foods with low salt, low
saturated fat, and avoid trans fatty
acids.

6. • Eat more fish, whole
grains, fruits, legumes and vegetables.
• Opt for foods with low glycaemic index.
• Read food labels.
• Drink more water.
• Avoid excessive alcohol.
• Speak to our nutritionist about portion
sizes and meal plans.

7. Medication Reminders From your
Diabetes Physician
and the Diabetes Management team
• Please take your medications as
prescribed.
• See us for a review before your
medications run out.
• Be aware of the number of repeats
on your prescription.
• Use a pillbox if you have difficulty
keeping track of your medications.
• Tell us about your over-the-counter
medications and vitamin
supplements.

8. • Tell us about any side effects from your
medications.
• Please do not change your medications without
advice.
• Share your blood glucose records with us.
• Avoid sharing medications with others.
• Avoid taking your medications if they are past
the expiration date.
• Tell us if you are allergic to any medications.
• Tell us if you are breastfeeding.
• Let us know if you can no longer afford your
medications.
• Discuss the use of insulin with us.

10. Foot care reminders from your Diabetes
Physician
and the Diabetes Management Team
• Let us examine your feet at least once a
year.
• Let us manage your diabetes since good
blood glucose control is important for
healthy feet.
• Get advice from our podiatrist.
• Let us evaluate whether you have high
risk feet:
• Do you have normal feeling in your feet?
• Have you had a foot ulcer before?
• Do you have abnormally shaped feet?

11. • Do you have poor circulation to your feet?
• Check your feet daily for blisters and
bruises
• Wash your feet daily, drying between your
toes.
• Avoid soaking your feet.
• Wear shoes indoors and outdoors.
• Wear shoes that support the feet and are
not too tight.
• Slippers are not recommended for outdoor
use.
• Cut your nails straight across.
• Do not cut calluses by yourself.
• Choose not to get a pedicure if your blood
sugar is not well controlled.

13. • Glycaemic index/load:
The Glycaemic Index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrate
containing foods based on their overall effect on blood
glucose levels. Higher glycaemic index foods raise blood
glucose more quickly but you must also consider portion
size carbohydrate content and cooking methods.
• Glycaemic Index of local foods:
• Greenfig ----------------------------------65
• Sweet potato ----------------------------70
• Yam ----------------------------------------54
• Breadfruit --------------------------------68
• Dasheen ----------------------------------53
• Plantain -----------------------------------66
• Irish potato -------------------------------87

14. The symptoms of
hypoglycaemia (insulin or
sulphonylurea use):
•
sweating, palpitations, weak
ness/dizziness, confusion, sh
akiness, difficulty speaking
or slurred speech and
anxiety.
• These symptoms may
occur below 70mg/dl but
this may vary between
persons with diabetes
depending on duration of
diabetes.

15. • If you experience these symptoms
check your blood glucose, but if unable
to, drink 4oz juice or chew 4 glucose
tablets (4g x 4).
• Wait 15 minutes and then check your
blood glucose again. If your blood
glucose is still less than 70mg/dl
(3.9mmol/l) please repeat the above
measures.
• When your blood glucose is above
70mg/dl, have a snack or your next
meal.

16. How to administer insulin
• Start by administering insulin into
the subcutaneous tissue of the
abdomen at least 2 inches from
the navel.
• Keep your insulin between 2˚C
and 30˚C for best results
• Use open insulin bottle within 28
days
• Wash your hands and skin of the
abdomen with soap and water

17. • Gently roll the insulin solution
• Draw up the required insulin
volume of air into the syringe. For
example if you are taking 10 units
pull the plunger on the syringe to
10 (1cc syringe) so that there is air
in the syringe.
• Clean surface of insulin bottle with
alcohol. Inject the volume of air
into the insulin bottle.

18. • Turn the insulin bottle upside
down
• Draw into the syringe the
required insulin dosage
• Tap on the syringe to remove air
bubbles
• If the skin of the abdomen is not
clean, clean with alcohol swab
and allow to dry
• Pinch a fold of skin in between
thumb and index finger

19. • Inject the insulin by placing the
syringe at a 90 degree angle to the
skin (right angle) straight down
• Push the needle in completely, push
down on the plunger and wait about
ten seconds before withdrawing the
syringe
• Dispose of insulin syringe into a
medical sharps container. Single use of
an insulin syringe is advised
• For advice on alternate sites, talk to
your diabetes physician