Day 4: Food, Exercise, and Insulin: A Balancing Act
Blood sugar rises and falls depending on how much you eat, how much you exercise, and how consistently you’re
taking your medicine. So it’s important to keep it all in balance.
That’s why this Day by Day Guide gradually introduces you to one thing at a time. It makes changes easier to fit
into your routine, and helps you find the right balance that can put you in a better position to help improve blood sugar control.
What’s the right balance for you?
Of course, everyone’s treatment program is different. What’s balanced for someone else doesn’t mean it’s balanced
for you. Blood sugar levels always vary. From person to person—and in each person they can vary from time to time. Speak to your doctor about what ranges are right for you. Only by working with your doctor to make small changes to your insulin and lifestyle balance can you effectively
work toward improving blood sugar control.
Food
Improving your food choices is a very important thing you can do to help keep your blood sugar
under control. Work with your healthcare team to create a meal plan. Your plan should include a well-balanced
diet that focuses on foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber instead of processed food. It should also
include foods you have a passion for, so you don’t feel like you’re depriving yourself.
Carbohydrates, or carbs, in the food you eat have the biggest impact on your blood sugar levels. Foods
high in carbohydrates are rice, pasta, potatoes, peas, corn, and beans, such as pinto beans and black-eyed
peas, along with fruits, milk, yogurt, and sweets.
By watching your carbs, managing your portions, and keeping a blood sugar log, you can gain better control
of your blood sugar levels. Choosing foods carefully, you can learn to fit any food into your recommended meal plan.
Exercise
Getting regular exercise is important. Here’s what exercise can do for you:
1
Lower your blood sugar levels
Sugar is stored in muscles. When you exercise, your muscles work harder, and as they work, they use the stored sugar.
As the sugar stored in muscles runs low, sugar is “pulled” from the blood to be used as energy.
2
Help your body use insulin more efficiently
Your muscles and other tissues use insulin more easily when you exercise. With physical activity, less insulin is
needed to move sugar out of the blood and into muscle cells.
3
Improve your overall health
Regular physical activity has been shown to help protect against heart disease and stroke. It’s also a great way
to reduce stress and help manage your weight.
Before starting any exercise program, talk to your healthcare team.
Lantus®
Staying with a daily schedule is an important way to balance food, exercise, and Lantus®. So take the time to eat right,
make physical activity part of your daily routine, and try taking your Lantus® at the same time each day. Think of it as
another daily activity to do after you brush your teeth, or when you take another medicine or a daily vitamin.
Do not take Lantus® if you are allergic to insulin or any of the
inactive ingredients in Lantus®.
You must test your blood sugar levels while using insulin, such as Lantus®.
Do not make any changes to your dose or type of insulin without talking to your
healthcare provider. Any change of insulin should be made cautiously and only under
medical supervision.
Do NOT dilute or mix Lantus® with any other insulin or solution.
It will not work as intended and you may lose blood sugar control, which could be
serious. Lantus® must only be used if the solution is clear and colorless
with no particles visible. Do not share needles, insulin pens or syringes with
others.
The most common side effect of insulin, including Lantus®, is
low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which may be serious. Some people may
experience symptoms such as shaking, sweating, fast heartbeat, and blurred vision.
Severe hypoglycemia may be serious and life-threatening. It may cause harm to your
heart or brain. Other possible side effects may include injection site reactions,
including changes in fat tissue at the injection site, and allergic reactions, including
itching and rash. In rare cases, some allergic reactions may be life-threatening.
Tell your doctor about other medicines and supplements you are taking because they
can change the way insulin works. Before starting Lantus®, tell your
doctor about all your medical conditions including if you have liver or kidney problems,
are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding or planning to
breast-feed.
Lantus® SoloSTAR® is a disposable prefilled insulin
pen. Please talk to your healthcare provider about proper injection technique and
follow instructions in the Instruction Leaflet that accompanies the pen.
Click here for Full Prescribing Information for Lantus®.
Click here for information on Sharps Medical Waste Disposal.
The health information contained herein is provided for general educational purposes
only. Your healthcare professional is the single best source of information regarding
your health. Please consult your healthcare professional if you have any questions
about your health or treatment.