Lifestyle management is considered a core component of diabetes care. When someone talks about lifestyle, they’re referring to several approaches to diabetes care that do not require medication.
The first approach when we talk about lifestyle may be nutrition therapy. Sometimes people refer to nutrition as their way of eating, their meal plan, or their ‘diet’. Generally, nutrition is about choosing balanced meals and portions that incorporate foods you enjoy. Nutrition therapy may also include working with a registered dietitian to support things like protein and/or fibre intake while living with diabetes.
Another approach in lifestyle may include physical activity. Physical activity, or regular movement, is about engaging in regular exercise that you enjoy. Movement like walking, swimming, strength training, or playing sports are all forms of physical activity. This can be done alone or with others. Physical activity helps to lower blood glucose, improves insulin sensitivity, and supports weight management for some people.
Other approaches that are considered as lifestyle are sleep behaviours, stress management, alcohol use, and smoking. Sleep hygiene refers to the quantity and quality of sleep you are getting. Stress management includes being aware of times of stress and having coping strategies that do not negatively impact your health. The use of alcohol and behaviours such as smoking can be modified to improve diabetes management as well.
In summary, the term “lifestyle” is an umbrella term that can refer to several different behaviors and daily habits that ultimately impact your diabetes care. Lifestyle management is also about self-management – or learning how to monitor the impacts of non-medication-based approaches like nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol use, smoking, and stress and how each of these impacts blood glucose (blood sugars). Consider talking to a healthcare provider about what lifestyle management means for you and ways you can incorporate what you enjoy in these behaviors and daily habits.
About the author
Diana Sherifali
Diana is a nursing professor at McMaster University and has presented and led many educational, advocacy and research initiatives in Canada and globally. Her research focuses on the development and evaluation of self-management strategies to support people living with or impacted by diabetes.