It is almost time to observe World Diabetes Day, which takes place on November 14. This holiday is the perfect time to educate yourself about this disease, look into solutions to help avoid it and find ways to save money if you’re suffering from it. Holidays like this can really help bring awareness that might one day help eliminate the disease or simply help those that can avoid it. These ten tips are a way to help you and your family observe the holiday. You might even feel inspired to spend the day with a diabetic that you know, in order to pass on some of the frugal tips offered here.
1. Seek Out Free Recipes
One of the many problems that people face when they are diagnosed with Diabetes is what they should be eating. Life can look and feel very boring when you can’t fall back on the staple foods that you once enjoyed. Even avoiding sweets can prove to be a huge hurdle for many. Luckily, there are so many recipes out there that will not only improve your health but will make you feel adventurous when eating. There are many diabetic magazines that post their recipes online for all to see, which might be one of the best places to begin your journey. Once you get a feel for cooking to suit your health needs then you can always move on to recipes from bloggers. You should always be careful with this though, as you need to make sure the recipes are diabetic friendly since they are not being shared by a professional. After cooking for your diabetic needs, recipes that aren’t health friendly will be simple to spot.
2. Shop Bulk
When you have a feel for the staples of your diet, then it might be wise to start shopping in bulk. If you are incorporating more produce into your diet, then shopping from a farmer’s market or a wholesale store might be your best option. Some diabetic dietary items might also be cheaper when purchased in bulk from online stores catering to your needs. On top of these deals, it might be wise to look into your medical supplies too. For instance, there are a lot of diabetic websites that will offer testing strips at remarkably low prices. You might talk to other diabetics or your doctor to help find resources that will help you shop in bulk.
3. Embrace Generic
When it comes to purchasing items for your health, you might want to consider using generic whenever and wherever you can. Medication to manage diabetes can be ridiculously expensive for some people, thus you should talk to your doctor about your financial needs, so a prescription can be written based on these factors as well. There are many generic brands that doctors trust to help with the medical problem while also allowing the patient to not deal with as heavy of a financial burden. On top of that, you can purchase generic test strips that can be paired with many testers. If you like the convenience of premade foods, then look for off-brand drinks, snacks and frozen meals. Before long, you’ll know all the variety you have to choose from on your budget.
4. Consider Free Forms of Exercise
One of the best ways to help improve your condition is actually exercise. However, joining a gym can be incredibly pricey, as can signing up for digital classes. Luckily, there are many free forms of exercise to choose from. For starters, you can always head outside for a run, jog, or a simple walk. If this gets a little tedious or you want to add more to your routine, then check the streaming services you subscribe to. You might be surprised by how many services offer free workout videos. You can also check out free services like YouTube or take advantage of free trials to help you get in your workout.
5. Manage Your Portions
Portion control is one of the biggest contributors to obesity, which can cause Diabetes or make your illness worse. So, this might be one of the first areas you start working on. It doesn’t matter if you have a diagnosis or you’re trying to ensure you never receive such a diagnosis, this concept can be one of the most important and frugal items on the list. You should start by following the basic portion rules, which you can find on any food pyramid or portion graph. Once you master creating the perfect plate, you should stick to eating only one helping. As this habit changes, then work on eating until you are full and then stopping. Before you know it, you’ll be wondering how you ate so much food before. On top of that, you will be able to cut back on the amount of food you cook, which will save some major money. If you don’t cook for yourself then consider buying healthy premade meals that can be found in the frozen section. There are even brands that cater to diabetics. This will help you know how much you should be eating to stay on the right path.
6. Plan Your Diet
Another great habit to get into is planning your meals. You should sit down at the beginning of the month, or bi-weekly, and come up with a meal plan to keep you going. Knowing what you are going to eat every day can actually help prevent you from picking up fast food or changing your plans. This will also allow you to plan your meals around items that can be bought in bulk, namely produce. If you can plan out meals that use similar ingredients, then you will save money and you’ll feel inspired to eat healthier. Plus, with produce in the refrigerator you will be forced to waste food if you eat out, which might detour you a little. Planning meals will also help you incorporate Meatless Monday into your plans, which might also cut back on some of your health issue and your budget.
7. Subscribe to Blogs
In this day and age, there is a wealth of knowledge online that can help just about anyone. One of the best things for diabetics is all of the blogs available today. You can read about the hardships of a diagnosis, changing diet and exercise plans, as well as some of the tips to improve on the lifestyle. No matter what support you need, you’re bound to find a blog that provides it. Best of all, blogs help you interact with the diabetic community, so you can feel like you have a support group at all times. Many bloggers also dedicate their time to mastering diabetic friendly recipes that might give you a taste of your favorite comfort foods without the spike. All in all, subscribing to blogs can be an important part of your process, so spend some time feeling out an assortment of options. You might even want to start your own blog before it’s all said and done.
8. Use Apps
Technology can be your friend when you’re diabetic. One of the best things about smart phones is the wide assortment of apps that they provide for us. These apps can especially come in handy when you’re diabetic. They have apps to help you keep a food journal and to offer food suggestions when you’re feeling burdened by your diet plan. They also have fitness apps to help inspire you to exercise, drink enough water and so on. There are also apps that record your blood sugar, so you can always have your levels on hand. This can especially come in handy for a doctor’s visit. Again, finding the right apps for you will take some time, but playing with your options will allow you to learn what you need to be successful.
9. Talk with Others
Like with any illness, it is important to talk about it, especially if you’re worried or feeling tense. There are so many support groups for those with diabetes so you won’t have to look far to find one. Generally, your hospital or doctor should be able to steer you in the right direction for a local group if that is something you are interested in. However, there are also countless support groups online, if you prefer to stay home or you have a tight schedule. If you aren’t keen on talking with strangers, then consider starting a group with people in your life that also have diabetes. You might improve on some friendship while you’re at it. Talking with others should help you feel more at peace with your new lifestyle and may even help you find some pointers that will make life easier.
10. Spread the Word
Whether you have diabetes, know someone that has it, or you simply want to do your part, raising awareness is one of the best things you can do on this holiday. For those with diabetes, you might want to let others know that you have it, which can be very helpful in emergencies. If you aren’t keen on sharing information about your health, then it might be time to invest in a health bracelet. Another way to help spread the word is to pass out pamphlets. This could help people recognize diabetic shock when it happens, which might save a life. It also might help inspire people to change their lifestyle, so they might avoid such a diagnosis. Last, but certainly not least, you should make sure the symptoms of this disease are known. This can help people avoid life threatening medical problems.
Diabetes can be a dangerous illness, which is why World Diabetes Day is such an important holiday to observe. By helping to share word of the illness with others, you could be preventing someone from developing this life long disease. So, on November 14, make sure to take some time out of your day to recognize this disease in hopes of decreasing the number of cases that pop up every year. If you are diabetic, then use this time to find new ways to save money on your lifestyle with these simple tips.
