Making healthier food choices and moving more are key to controlling your diabetes. The good news is that taking small steps to improve your health goes a long way when it comes to living well with diabetes.

Dr. Natalie Levy, NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue

Dr. Natalie Levy, an Attending Physician and the Director of the Primary Care Diabetes Program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, shares five things you can do throughout your day to help keep your diabetes in control:

• Start your day with oatmeal. A filling bowl of oatmeal is the perfect breakfast, especially as it starts to get cooler out. Oatmeal is loaded with fiber, which can help keep your blood sugar levels under control. Just top your bowl of oats with some berries or banana slices for sweetness (instead of sugar), or add some almonds or pecans for extra nutrition. Avoid instant oatmeal if possible — it is much healthier to make your oatmeal with oats that are steel-cut, rolled, or “old-fashioned.”
• Drink a glass of water with your lunch. Water is a great sugar-free and calorie-free way to stay hydrated. Drinking a glass of water with (or 30 minutes before) a meal can also help keep you from overeating. Add slices of lemon, lime, or cucumber to your glass to make it even more refreshing.
• Move more throughout your day. Moving your body more is important for your health. Get off the bus or subway a stop early and walk the rest of the way, or take the stairs instead of the elevator. Take a 15-minute walk whenever it is convenient for you, perhaps on your lunch break or after dinner.
• Eat a vegetable you like with every lunch and dinner meal. Vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Put lettuce and tomato on your sandwich. Roast broccoli or sweet potatoes in the oven. Sautee string beans with a little garlic on the stove top. Cut up a cucumber or make a salad to go along with your main meal.
• Take your medicine – even if you don’t feel sick. If you take diabetes, blood pressure, or cholesterol medicine, be sure to take it as directed by your doctor. Even if you don’t feel sick, the medicine is working “behind the scenes” to lower your chance of serious health problems, like heart disease and stroke. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about taking your medicine.

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