Diabetes care: 10 ways to avoid complications

Diabetes care is a lifelong responsibility. Consider 10 strategies to prevent diabetes complications.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Diabetes is a serious disease. Following your diabetes treatment plan takes round-the-clock commitment. But your efforts are worthwhile. Careful diabetes care can reduce your risk of serious — even life-threatening — complications.

Here are 10 ways to take an active role in your diabetes care and enjoy a healthier future.

1. Make a commitment to managing your diabetes

Members of your diabetes care team — primary care provider, diabetes care and education specialist, and dietitian, for example — can help you learn the basics of diabetes care and offer support along the way. But it's up to you to manage your condition.

Learn all you can about diabetes. Make healthy eating and physical activity part of your daily routine. Maintain a healthy weight.

Monitor your blood sugar, and follow your health care provider's instructions for managing your blood sugar level. Take your medications as directed by your health care provider. Ask your diabetes treatment team for help when you need it.

2. Don't smoke

Avoid smoking or quit smoking if you smoke. Smoking increases your risk of type 2 diabetes and the risk of various diabetes complications, including:

  • Reduced blood flow in the legs and feet, which can lead to infections, nonhealing ulcers and possible amputation
  • Worse blood sugar control
  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Eye disease, which can lead to blindness
  • Nerve damage
  • Kidney disease
  • Premature death

Talk to your health care provider about ways to help you stop smoking or using other types of tobacco.

3. Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control

Like diabetes, high blood pressure can damage your blood vessels. High cholesterol is a concern, too, since the resulting damage is often worse and more rapid when you have diabetes. When these conditions team up, they can lead to a heart attack, stroke or other life-threatening conditions.

Eating a healthy, reduced-fat and low salt diet, avoiding excess alcohol, and exercising regularly can go a long way toward controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol. Your health care provider may also recommend taking prescription medication, if necessary.

4. Schedule regular physicals and eye exams

Schedule two to four diabetes checkups a year, in addition to your yearly physical and routine eye exams.

During the physical, your health care provider will ask about your nutrition and activity level and look for any diabetes-related complications — including signs of kidney damage, nerve damage and heart disease — as well as screen for other medical problems. He or she will also examine your feet for any issues that may need treatment.

Your eye care specialist will check for signs of retinal damage, cataracts and glaucoma.

5. Keep your vaccines up to date

Diabetes increases your risk of getting certain illnesses. Routine vaccines can help prevent them. Ask your health care provider about:

  • Flu vaccine. A yearly flu vaccine can help you stay healthy during flu season as well as prevent serious complications from the flu.
  • Pneumonia vaccine. Sometimes the pneumonia vaccine requires only one shot. If you have diabetes complications or you're age 65 or older, you may need a booster shot.
  • Hepatitis B vaccine. The hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for adults with diabetes who haven't previously received the vaccine and are younger than 60. If you're age 60 or older and have never received the hepatitis B vaccine, talk to your health care provider about whether it's right for you.
  • Other vaccines. Stay up to date with your tetanus shot (usually given every 10 years). Your doctor may recommend other vaccines as well.

6. Take care of your teeth

Diabetes may leave you prone to gum infections. Brush your teeth at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste, floss your teeth once a day and schedule dental exams at least twice a year. Call your dentist if your gums bleed or look red or swollen.

7. Pay attention to your feet

High blood sugar can reduce blood flow and damage the nerves in your feet. Left untreated, cuts and blisters can lead to serious infections. Diabetes can lead to pain, tingling or loss of sensation in your feet.

To prevent foot problems:

  • Wash your feet daily in lukewarm water. Avoid soaking your feet, as this can lead to dry skin.
  • Dry your feet gently, especially between the toes.
  • Moisturize your feet and ankles with lotion or petroleum jelly. Do not put oils or creams between your toes — the extra moisture can lead to infection.
  • Check your feet daily for calluses, blisters, sores, redness or swelling.
  • Consult your doctor if you have a sore or other foot problem that doesn't start to heal within a few days. If you have a foot ulcer — an open sore — see your doctor right away.
  • Don't go barefoot, indoors or outdoors.

8. Consider a daily aspirin

If you have diabetes and other cardiovascular risk factors, such as smoking or high blood pressure, your doctor may recommend taking a low dose of aspirin every day to help reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. If you don't have additional cardiovascular risk factors, the risk of bleeding from aspirin use may outweigh any of its benefits. Ask your doctor whether daily aspirin therapy is appropriate for you, including which strength of aspirin would be best.

9. If you drink alcohol, do so responsibly

Alcohol can cause high or low blood sugar, depending on how much you drink and whether you eat at the same time. If you choose to drink, do so only in moderation, which means no more than one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men.

Always drink with a meal or snack, and remember to include the calories from any alcohol you drink in your daily calorie count. Also, be aware that alcohol can lead to low blood sugar later, especially for people who use insulin.

10. Take stress seriously

If you're stressed, it's easy to neglect your usual diabetes care routine. To manage your stress, set limits. Prioritize your tasks. Learn relaxation techniques.

Get plenty of sleep. And above all, stay positive. Diabetes care is within your control. If you're willing to do your part, diabetes won't stand in the way of an active, healthy life.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

Nov. 15, 2023 See more In-depth

See also

  1. Medication-free hypertension control
  2. A1C test
  3. Alcohol: Does it affect blood pressure?
  4. Alpha blockers
  5. Amputation and diabetes
  6. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
  7. Angiotensin II receptor blockers
  8. Anxiety: A cause of high blood pressure?
  9. Artificial sweeteners: Any effect on blood sugar?
  10. Bariatric surgery
  11. Beta blockers
  12. Beta blockers: Do they cause weight gain?
  13. Beta blockers: How do they affect exercise?
  14. Blood glucose meters
  15. Blood glucose monitors
  16. Blood pressure: Can it be higher in one arm?
  17. Blood pressure chart
  18. Blood pressure cuff: Does size matter?
  19. Blood pressure: Does it have a daily pattern?
  20. Blood pressure: Is it affected by cold weather?
  21. Blood pressure medication: Still necessary if I lose weight?
  22. Blood pressure medications: Can they raise my triglycerides?
  23. Blood pressure readings: Why higher at home?
  24. Blood pressure tip: Get more potassium
  25. Blood sugar levels can fluctuate for many reasons
  26. Blood sugar testing: Why, when and how
  27. Bone and joint problems associated with diabetes
  28. Pancreas transplant animation
  29. Caffeine and hypertension
  30. Calcium channel blockers
  31. Calcium supplements: Do they interfere with blood pressure drugs?
  32. Can whole-grain foods lower blood pressure?
  33. Central-acting agents
  34. Choosing blood pressure medicines
  35. COVID-19: Who's at higher risk of serious symptoms?
  36. Diabetes
  37. Diabetes and depression: Coping with the two conditions
  38. Diabetes and exercise: When to monitor your blood sugar
  39. Diabetes and heat
  40. Diabetes diet: Should I avoid sweet fruits?
  41. Diabetes diet: Create your healthy-eating plan
  42. Diabetes foods: Can I substitute honey for sugar?
  43. Diabetes and liver
  44. Diabetes management: How lifestyle, daily routine affect blood sugar
  45. Diabetes symptoms
  46. Diabetes treatment: Can cinnamon lower blood sugar?
  47. Using insulin
  48. Diabetic Gastroparesis
  49. Diuretics
  50. Diuretics: A cause of low potassium?
  51. Erectile dysfunction and diabetes
  52. High blood pressure and exercise
  53. Exercise and chronic disease
  54. Fatigue
  55. Free blood pressure machines: Are they accurate?
  56. Frequent urination
  57. Home blood pressure monitoring
  58. Glucose tolerance test
  59. Glycemic index: A helpful tool for diabetes?
  60. Hemochromatosis
  61. High blood pressure (hypertension)
  62. High blood pressure and cold remedies: Which are safe?
  63. High blood pressure and sex
  64. High blood pressure dangers
  65. What is hypertension? A Mayo Clinic expert explains.
  66. Hypertension FAQs
  67. Hypertensive crisis: What are the symptoms?
  68. Insulin and weight gain
  69. Isolated systolic hypertension: A health concern?
  70. Kidney disease FAQs
  71. L-arginine: Does it lower blood pressure?
  72. Late-night eating: OK if you have diabetes?
  73. Low-phosphorus diet: Helpful for kidney disease?
  74. Medications and supplements that can raise your blood pressure
  75. Menopause and high blood pressure: What's the connection?
  76. Infographic: Pancreas Kidney Transplant
  77. Pancreas transplant
  78. Pulse pressure: An indicator of heart health?
  79. Reactive hypoglycemia: What can I do?
  80. Resperate: Can it help reduce blood pressure?
  81. Sleep deprivation: A cause of high blood pressure?
  82. Statins
  83. Stress and high blood pressure
  84. The dawn phenomenon: What can you do?
  85. Unexplained weight loss
  86. Vasodilators
  87. Vegetarian diet: Can it help me control my diabetes?
  88. How to measure blood pressure using a manual monitor
  89. How to measure blood pressure using an automatic monitor
  90. What is blood pressure?
  91. Can a lack of vitamin D cause high blood pressure?
  92. Weight Loss Surgery Options
  93. White coat hypertension
  94. Wrist blood pressure monitors: Are they accurate?