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Monitoring your blood sugar and blood pressure levels each day and checking your feet for cuts and infections will help you to reduce your risk of complications of diabetes. In addition, it is important to ensure your screening tests and labwork are up-to-date. Your emotional well-being is important to pay attention to as well. Your mental health and/or stress level can impact your ability to control and manage your diabetes from day to day. Here are some tools and recommendations to help you better manage your diabetes:
1. Personal Diabetes Record Card
Use the Record Card to track the labs and services you need to keep you healthy and in control. Download and carry in your wallet or purse to review at each visit with your diabetes health care team:
Listed below are some of the important test guidelines in the Personal Diabetes Record Card. Knowing the names, reasons and personal targets for these tests will help you keep track of your progress over time:
| TEST | GOAL | FREQUENCY |
| A1C | less than 7% | Once a year |
| Blood Pressure | below 129/79 | Every visit |
| Total Cholesterol (Lipid Panel) | below 200 | Once a year (12hr fast) |
| Triglycerides | below 150 | Once a year (12hr fast) |
| HDL ("Good" Cholesterol) | above 45 | Once a year (12hr fast) |
| LDL ("Bad" Cholesterol) | below 100 | Once a year (12hr fast) |
| TSH (Thyroid function test) | ask provider | Once a year |
| Microalbumin (measures kidney function) | ask provider | Once a year |
In addition to the tests above, it is recommended that you also:
- Brush your teeth and floss every day, see your dentist at least twice a year, and tell your dentist you have diabetes to reduce your risk of gum infections and other related problems.
- Wash your hands often, get a flu shot each year, and make sure you have had a Pneumovax immunization (a vaccine that protects against pneumonia) to reduce risks of cold and flu.
2. Check Your Registration Slip
Your registration slip contains important information regarding screening tests and lab work. You can check to see when your next diabetes check-up or labwork is due: Prevention Information on Your Registration Slip
3. Check Your Blood Pressure
We recommend that you check your blood pressure each day at home. To purchase a blood pressure meter go to your local health education department, or a Kaiser Permanente pharmacy.
4. Self Monitoring of Blood Sugars (SMBG)
Daily checks of your blood sugar levels will help you stay healthy and reduce your risk of diabetes complications.
5. Check Your Feet
With diabetes, you may have less sensitivity in your feet and not notice when they are injured. Injuries may also be more serious. You can prevent injuries by giving your feet extra care and attention. Check your feet every day for cuts, blisters, red spots, or swelling. Ask your provider to examine your feet as least once a year with a monofilament, or more often if you have other high-risk foot conditions. Click here for additional steps on caring for your feet: Foot Care for People with Diabetes
6. Monitoring Your Emotional Health
Fifty percent of people living with diabetes experience depression. Learning to manage diabetes is often stressful. Learning to cope with these emotions is an important skill for diabetes self-management.
7. Managing Your Sick Days
8. Sexual Health and Diabetes
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