From healthline.com/health
A new type 2 diabetes diagnosis can feel overwhelming. Here’s what a doctor recommends as key steps to manage your health during the first month.
Being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes can feel overwhelming. There’s a lot to learn, process, and adjust, and it often comes with a mix of emotions. It’s common to feel uncertain about where to begin.
Dr. Jennah Siwak, a board certified family and obesity medicine physician known as @WeightDoc on TikTok, recommends focusing your first month on five key areas that will help lay a strong foundation:
- Education: Learn what type 2 diabetes is and how it affects your body.
- Blood glucose awareness: Understand if and when to monitor your glucose levels.
- Lifestyle audit: Take inventory of your current eating and activity habits.
- Medication: Learn how your prescribed treatment works and how to stay consistent with it.
- Support: Build a network of people and resources to help you stay on track emotionally and practically.
This guide will walk you through each of these focus areas with practical steps and advice based on Dr. Siwak’s insights.
Understanding what type 2 diabetes is and how to manage it is the most important early step. “Education is a great place to begin,” says Dr. Siwak.
“Education helps build self-confidence in your ability to manage diabetes. It’s crucial for informed decision making and helps prevent complications from uncontrolled blood sugar.”
Working with a care team can also help reduce fear and confusion.
To get started, you can:
- Schedule a follow-up appointment: Book a visit with your primary care provider as soon as possible.
- Ask for referrals, if needed: Consider seeing a registered dietitian, diabetes self-management educator (DSMES), or endocrinologist (less common).
- Prepare questions ahead of time: Write down questions to discuss during your appointment.
Questions you might ask include:
- Do I need to check my blood glucose?
- What are the signs of low or high blood sugar?
- What is my blood sugar goal?
- How do food, exercise, medications, stress, or illness affect my glucose?
Monitoring your blood sugar helps you understand how your body responds to different foods, physical activity, and medications. “Tracking may not be forever,” says Dr. Siwak, “but in the beginning, it builds awareness that helps guide your care plan.”
To start monitoring your blood sugar, you can:
- Ask your doctor if monitoring is recommended: Find out when you should check your blood sugar, such as fasting, before meals, or only when you feel off.
- Learn how to monitor: Use the method your doctor recommends, like a finger-stick glucose meter or a continuous glucose monitor (CGM).
- Track consistently: Record your blood sugar levels regularly, along with your food intake and physical activity.
- Use tracking tools: Try apps like MySugr or Glucose Buddy, or keep a written log in a notebook if you prefer.
You don’t need to make major changes overnight. Start by understanding your current habits and choosing one or two places to make a meaningful shift.
Nutrition adjustments
“The food we eat is a major controllable factor in balancing blood sugar,” says Dr. Siwak. Rather than aiming for perfection, aim for one simple improvement at a time.
- Reduce sugar and carb intake: Choose one high-sugar or high carb item you eat or drink regularly, like soda, juice, desserts, or alcohol, and reduce or eliminate it.
- Learn to read food labels. Pay attention to food labels for added sugars, total carbohydrates, and fibre. This will give you more control over what you eat.
- Start adding in healthier foods: Try to prioritize lean proteins (chicken, fish, tofu), non-starchy vegetables (leafy greens, broccoli, zucchini), and whole grains (quinoa, brown rice).
- Meet with a registered dietitian (RD): An RD can help you create a sustainable eating plan tailored to your needs.
Physical activity adjustments
Physical activity lowers blood glucose, improves insulin sensitivity, and benefits both heart and mental health. “Start moving,” says Dr. Siwak. “It doesn’t have to be anything crazy or intimidating, and yes, walking counts.”
Here’s how to get started:
- Check with your doctor: Make sure you’re cleared to begin exercising.
- Use a step counter or phone app: Track your movement and look for small, steady increases in your daily steps.
- Start small: Aim for just 5 minutes of movement. If you continue beyond that, great. If not, you’ve still made progress.
- Work toward 150 minutes per week: This can look like 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Build up gradually based on your ability.
Many people with type 2 diabetes will need medication. “People often feel they should be able to manage diabetes without medication or feel like they’ve failed if they need it,” says Dr. Siwak. “That’s not true. Sometimes medication is necessary, especially early on.”
To manage your medication effectively, you can:
- Ask about your medication: Find out what you’ve been prescribed, how it works, when to take it, if it needs to be taken with food, and what side effects to watch for.
- Set up reminders: Use alarms, medication apps, or a pill organizer to help you take your medication consistently.
- Reach out for help: Contact your pharmacist or doctor with any questions or concerns about your medication or what to expect from it.
“This isn’t your fault,” says Dr. Siwak. “There is usually a strong genetic predisposition. Genetics is the lock, and lifestyle is the key.”
Diabetes can feel isolating, especially in the beginning. Having support helps with emotional well-being, accountability, and motivation.
To strengthen your support system, you can:
- Talk with someone you trust: Share your diagnosis and what you’re learning.
- Invite a family member or friend: Ask them to join you in a healthy habit like meal prepping or walking together.
- Find a support group: Look for diabetes support groups locally or online to connect with others who understand what you’re going through.
- Follow credible educators: Use social media to follow trusted health professionals who provide reliable diabetes information and encouragement.
Managing diabetes involves keeping track of daily habits, symptoms, and routines. Staying organized helps you stay consistent and reduces mental load.
To stay organized, you can:
- Set alarms on your phone: Use reminders for medication times or meals as needed.
- Use a tracking app or notebook: Log your food intake or blood glucose with apps like LoseIt, MyFitnessPal, MySugr, or Glucose Buddy. If you prefer, a simple notebook works well too.
- Keep a central place for important documents: Store lab results, medication instructions, and doctor notes in a folder, app, or paper file.
- Visit trusted sources regularly: Check websites like the American Diabetes Association for credible and up-to-date information.
There’s no single definition of a “successful” first month. Dr. Siwak emphasizes that “any improvement is a win.” Progress is not only measured in blood sugar numbers.
Signs you’re on track
Beyond blood sugar numbers, these are concrete steps that show you’re actively managing your diabetes:
- You’ve met with at least one member of your care team.
- You’ve started taking medications consistently.
- You’ve made one change to your eating habits.
- You’ve increased your physical activity.
- You feel more informed and less overwhelmed.
Signs of a healthy mindset
Managing diabetes is as much about mental shifts as physical ones. Here’s how a healthy mindset looks as you adjust:
- You’ve accepted the diagnosis and are taking action.
- You’re learning what affects your blood glucose and are adjusting accordingly.
- You’re showing yourself compassion instead of blame.
- You’re focused on consistency rather than quick fixes.
Managing type 2 diabetes in the first month can feel overwhelming, but focusing on key areas like education, monitoring, nutrition, activity, medication, and support can build a strong foundation.
As Dr. Jennah Siwak emphasizes, progress is not just about numbers; it’s also about developing a healthy mindset and making sustainable changes at your own pace.
Remember, small, consistent steps add up, and you don’t have to do it alone. With the right knowledge and support, diabetes is manageable, and your health can improve over time.
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