The goal of treatment is to control the level of sugar in your blood. You want to try to keep the sugar level in a normal range. This is done by measuring your blood sugar regularly, eating well and planning meals, getting exercise, and taking your medicines correctly.

Blood sugar measurements
You will learn how to check your blood sugar at home. You will need a blood glucose meter. The meter is a small machine that tests your blood sugar. You will need some lancets (little blades to prick your finger) and some test strips to put a drop of blood on. Your doctor will tell you when and how often you need to check your blood sugar.

When you have just been diagnosed with diabetes you will need to check your blood sugar more often. After you have your diabetes under control, your doctor will tell you how you can decrease your sugar checks. Keep a log of your blood sugar measurements. Your doctor will check the log at your appointments to see how well your treatment is working.

A blood test called hemoglobin A1c can show your average blood sugar control over the past 3 months. Your doctor may do this test every 3 months to check your overall control of your blood sugar level. This is the best way to see if you are keeping your diabetes under control. However, it does not replace daily blood sugar measurements. They show whether your daily treatment plan (diet, exercise and/or medicine) is working throughout the day.

Meal planning
Your doctor or a dietitian will give you clear guidelines about which foods you should eat and how many calories you should eat each day. If you are overweight, losing weight will help you decrease your blood sugar. Choosing healthy foods for your diet will help you lose weight. Sometimes losing just 7 to 10 pounds can reduce or eliminate your need to take medicine for diabetes.

Exercise
Physical activity is important in managing type 2 diabetes. For some people who have type 2 diabetes, exercise is all they need to do to control their blood sugar. Exercise improves your circulation, uses up more of the sugar in your blood, and helps your body use insulin more efficiently. Walking is one of the best exercises you can do. Ask your doctor for exercise recommendations.

Medicine
If you can't control your blood sugar with diet and exercise, your doctor will prescribe medicine to lower your blood sugar. You may need more than one type of medicine to keep your blood sugar in the normal range.
Insulin is used when diet, exercise, and oral medicines are not keeping your blood sugar levels normal. Insulin is available in different forms. It is usually given as a shot. If you need insulin, your doctor will teach you how to give shots to yourself. You may need a shot 1 to 4 times a day.

When you are using any type of diabetic medicine, you must carefully follow your doctor's directions for checking your blood sugar. This will not only help you achieve good blood sugar control, but it will help you prevent possibly life-threatening low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).