The diagnosis of diabetes can be overwhelming for anyone. It is a disease with associated risks, new medications, a new lifestyle. Eating a healthier diet is among the most important lifestyle components of managing the disease, and it is very important that new diabetes patients understand how diet can help control diabetes and prevent its complications.
Lifestyle management is a fundamental aspect of diabetes care and includes diabetes self-management education (DSME), diabetes self-management support (DSMS), nutrition therapy, physical activity, smoking cessation counseling, and psychosocial care. Patients and care providers should focus together on how to optimize lifestyle from the time of the initial comprehensive medical evaluation, throughout all subsequent evaluations and follow-up, and during the assessment of complications and management of comorbid conditions in order to enhance diabetes care.
