Diabetes can affect almost every aspect of life. A 2019 study revealed that one in eight new cases of Type 2 diabetes is occurring in 18- to 40-year-old adults. While it’s unusual for diabetes to restrict occupation or job choices, the major challenges experienced by people working a nine-to-five surround maintaining dietary and exercise plans that will keep their blood sugar at a healthy level. Here are some ways to reduce the overwhelm that comes with managing diabetes at work.
- Let your manager know: While it might make you feel vulnerable, it’s important for your boss to understand the impact your condition has on you throughout the day. Give them some tips around how to respond should your sugar levels fall or react in the case of an emergency, like hypo or hyperglycaemia.
- Be mindful of what you eat: Avoid processed foods as they tend to be high in fat, salt, sugar, and calories and can worsen insulin resistance. Add a lot of vegetables to your diet, especially green ones, as they are known to have high antioxidant properties and starch-digesting enzymes that protect your health and have a minimal impact on your blood sugar levels.
- Reduce the stressors: Stress affects diabetes and can be a potential contributor to chronic hyperglycemia. When you feel stressed, practice deep breathing exercises for a full minute every few hours. Don’t reach out for a sugary snack to snub the stress. Instead, pause for at least 6 seconds (or long enough to calm down and clear your head) before reacting.
- Be on the move: Movement can help maintain blood sugar levels and your blood pressure. Make small, incremental changes. If you take public transportation to work, get off one stop early and walk the rest of the way. Switch the water bottle at your desk with a glass so that you have to walk to the sink for refills.
- Manage your time: Put everything on your calendar (meetings, upcoming tasks, mealtimes, medication, exercise routines, etc). Conflicting healthcare and work needs will become immediately obvious and can be handled in advance by communicating or rescheduling with those involved.
Five hundred and thirty-seven million adults aged 20 to 79 years are living with some form of diabetes — a chronic condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. A 2019 study in the UK revealed that one in eight new cases of Type 2 diabetes occurs in 18-to-40-year-old adults, an increase from the one in 10 statistic recorded back in 2000. Further, in the U.S., one in four young adults between the ages of 19 and 34 is living with prediabetes and is at an increased risk of developing Type 2 if their health is not well-managed.
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