Sample Text Message List
This list is continually updated, edited, and reconstructed. Diabetes workers and other health professionals are invited to add, edit, and create their own "message list" to match their community.
Physical Activity
Managing Blood Glucose
Staying Healthy
Smoking
Clinic examples
Did u know? Regular physical activity improves the body’s sensitivity to insulin and can help manage blood glucose lvls!
Avoid injecting insulin into the body part that will be exercising!
If your pre-meal blood glucose level is >14.0 mmol/L and urine ketone level is >8.0 mmol/L or blood ketone level is >3.0 mmol/L, exercise should not be performed as it could cause high blood glucose and more ketone production. Wait until your blood glucose is back in the normal range before exercising
Estimate how much carbohydrate and insulin you need to keep your blood glucose levels stable. You may need to work with your healthcare team to learn how to do this. A general rule of thumb for most moderate-intensity exercise is 15 to 30 g of carbohydrate every 30 to 60 minutes of exercise.
Keep some form of fast-acting carbohydrate with you at all times in case you need to treat a low blood glucose.
Listen to your body. While exercising will probably cause some muscle fatigue or even slight discomfort, it should not cause pain before or after.
When you are sick, drink plenty of extra sugar-free fluids or water; try to avoid coffee, tea and colas as they contain caffeine, which may cause you to lose more fluids.
When you are sick, replace solid food with fluids that contain glucose, if you can’t eat according to your usual meal plan;
When you are sick, if you are on insulin, be sure to continue taking it while you are sick. Check with your healthcare team about guidelines for insulin adjustment during an illness.
If you have a cold or flu and are considering using a cold remedy or cough syrup, ask your pharmacist to help you make a good choice. Since many cold remedies and cough syrups contain sugar, try to pick a sugar-free product.
You and your healthcare team should set goals for your blood glucose levels. It is important to recognize that you may need to add pills and/or insulin to your lifestyle changes (meal planning and increased activity), to achieve your blood glucose targets.
High blood pressure can lead to eye disease, heart disease, stroke and kidney disease. You may need to change your eating and exercise habits and/or take pills to keep your blood pressure below 130/80 mm Hg.
Both aerobic and resistance exercise are important for people living with diabetes. If you have diabetes, you should do at least 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week. You may need to start with as little as 5 to 10 minutes per day of brisk walking. In addition, resistance exercise (such as weight training) should be performed 3 times per week. If you are just starting to be active, check with your doctor first.
High cholesterol and other fats in the blood can lead to heart disease and stroke. You may need to change your eating and exercise habits and/or take pills to keep your blood fats at healthy levels.
Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight will help you control your blood glucose, blood pressure and blood fat levels.
You need to be seen by an eye care specialist who will dilate your pupils and check for signs of eye disease. Your regular doctor cannot do this special test in his or her office. Ask for a referral to an eye care specialist.
Take off your shoes and socks at every visit (even if your doctor or healthcare team forget to ask you). Ingrown toenails, cuts and sores on the feet can lead to serious infections. Learn about proper foot care.
The earlier you catch signs of kidney disease the better. You must have your urine tested regularly for early signs of kidney disease. Your doctor may prescribe pills to delay more damage to your kidneys.
Monitoring your blood glucose is important. Review your home glucose monitoring record with your doctor regularly. And make sure that your meter is providing accurate results by checking against the results of a blood test at the lab at least once a year.
Quitting smoking is one of the most important things individuals living with diabetes can do to help prevent or delay the onset of complications.
People with diabetes are already at increased risk for heart disease; however, if they smoke, they face three times the risk for heart attack of a person with diabetes who does not smoke.
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Want to quit? Come to the clinic tonite to learn how!
