Diabetes is both a disease and a lifestyle. If you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, then you are likely required to juggle having regular exercise, a well-balanced diet, and properly managed medication. The drastic change of lifestyle is needed not only to keep the blood sugar level at bay, but also to prevent high blood pressure and high cholesterol related complications from rising.

This is why proper diabetes education and medication are important. As a diabetic or a close family to someone with the disease, knowing the ABCs of diabetes are vital in setting goals, creating programs, and managing the condition altogether.

Aside from the daily check-up of your blood sugar, it is important to see the progress of your average sugar levels every two to three months through the A1C test. The “A” means hemoglobin A, which refers to the need to control one’s blood glucose level.

In the blood test, most patients’ target is 7% and below (the lower the percentage of sugar in the blood, the better). Going beyond that will heighten the risk of developing complications.

Blood pressure is very important because people with diabetes are more prone to developing cardiovascular, microvascular (retinopathy and nephropathy), and macrovascular problems. The higher the pressure, the harder it is for the heart to work and pump blood.

For most cases, the ideal blood pressure is 140/80 mm Hg. Still, it is best to follow the advice of your doctor on the target rate.

Diabetes is also about the constant battle between the bad (LDL) and good (HDL) cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol can clog your blood vessels and lead to heart problems, while high-density lipoprotein (HDL) prevents this from happening. All persons with diabetes need to have their LDL, HDL, and triglycerides measured at least annually.