DHAKA: Controlling sugar levels and maintaining them in the desirable range is an intricate task that all diabetics have to accomplish. However, controlling diabetes can be really easy if you take care of these five simple things.

Eat smart: Diet is the most important aspect of a diabetic’s life. Ultimately, it’s your diet that will determine your sugar levels. According to Dr Pradeep Gadge, consultant diabetologist at Seven Hills Hospital, Mumbai for remembering a diabetic diet, one should always keep in mind four things: when to eat, what to eat, how much to eat and what to avoid. He suggests eating five small meals throughout the day, and recommends complete elimination of sugar, jaggery and refined flour from the diet.

Exercise: Diabetics should pay extra attention to their daily physical activity. If you’re overweight, you must lose weight by exercising. When you exercise, your body extracts energy from the stored glucose in your body. Once the reserves are exhausted, your body will derive its energy from the bloodstream. This causes a drop in blood glucose levels. Studies have shown that regular physical activity can improve your insulin sensitivity. Additionally, it also helps you burn fat, regulate lipid and lower blood pressure by improving circulation.

Monitor your blood glucose level: Monitoring blood glucose level with a glucometer is the easiest way you can stay updated about your blood sugar. The readings can be used as an indicator to plan daily diet and activities. It can also help prevent hypoglycemic conditions, where your sugar can go really low.

Regular HbA1c test: Apart from monitoring your sugar levels daily, once in every three months you should get an HbA1C test done. This will helps assess your diabetes control for the past few months by basically measuring the amount of glucose that has been sticking to your red blood cells.

Avoid smoking and drinking: Smoking and drinking are both injurious to health, and more so if you’re diabetic. Alcohol gives your extra calories without offering any nutritional value. Plus, drinking and smoking also interferes with diabetes medication.

BDST: 2122 HRS, DEC 20, 2014