If you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with diabetes, what you may not realize is that support from family and friends is invaluable. However, finding the right way to support someone with diabetes can be a bit challenging. One of the best things you can do is to remain openminded. You can’t “fix” the disease or make someone follow their scheduled treatment plan; however, you can offer your comfort and support.

Some tips that will help you support a loved one or friend with diabetes can be found here.

Learn More About Diabetes

Diabetes is a serious and chronic condition. In fact, it is something that affects more than 34 million adults in the United States. While this is a common condition, every person is affected by the disease differently. This makes it simple for you to learn more about the type of diabetes your loved one is dealing with.

Diabetes is a type of metabolic disorder. It affects how the body is using and storing blood glucose. This can also affect your body’s ability to make an adequate supply of insulin. There is some good news, though. Individuals with diabetes can learn to manage their blood glucose levels in various ways, while still living happy and healthy lives.

You can learn more about diabetes by visiting the American Diabetes Association website. Once you learn more, you can find out about their perspective on diabetes.

Talk and Listen

It doesn’t matter if your loved one has been dealing with diabetes for several years or just a few months, the condition can feel stressful and overwhelming. You can show your support by asking them how you can help. Take time to really listen to what their needs are and remember that everyone is different. For example, one person may need help with food preparation while someone else may need you to pick up their diabetes care supplies. In many cases, people dealing with diabetes only need someone to talk with, especially if they are feeling alone. Be that person, it will mean more than anything else.

Get Moving Together

Exercise is an extremely important part of diabetes management. Unfortunately, sticking to a regular exercise routine is challenging for anyone. However, if you have someone to do this with, it makes everything easier.

Offer to be a person’s workout buddy and find something you both enjoy doing. While it could take some time to figure out what movement feels good, the goal is to continue encouraging one another. Experts recommend getting about 30 minutes of activity every day. You can break this into smaller segments of exercise too, if 30 minutes is too much in the beginning.

Helping Your Loved Ones Manage Diabetes

When it comes to diabetes, there are more than a few things you can do to help a loved one manage their condition. Be sure to keep the tips here in mind to ensure that they get the help needed and to ensure they know they have support and someone to lean on when they need help.