The 7 Health Care Behaviors for Diabetes Management
While diabetes self-care isn't always easy, it can become manageable. With the help of a diabetes educator and other members of your diabetes care team, you can improve your diabetes management and reduce your risk of developing complications.
There are seven key areas of self-management for people with diabetes. It's important to understand and set goals for improvement in each area. These key areas are called the AADE7™ Self-Care Behaviors. They are:
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Healthy Eating
Learning to make healthy food choices by paying attention to nutritional content and portion sizes
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Being Active
Recognizing the importance of physical activity and making a plan to start moving today
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Monitoring
Learning to check and record your blood glucose levels and other numbers important to your diabetes self-care
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Taking Medication
Remembering to take your medications as prescribed and understanding how they affect your body and diabetes management
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Problem Solving
Gaining skills to identify problems or obstacles to your self-care behaviors and learning how to solve them
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Reducing Risks
Understanding the potential complications you are at risk for with diabetes and taking steps to prevent them
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Healthy Coping
Developing healthy ways of dealing with difficult times in your diabetes management
