Diet: Eat fresh foods like leafy vegetables, salmon, walnuts and berries and maintain a balanced diet. Family members can assist the elderly to get fresh foods to lower their chance of infection.
Mental health: Meet and talk to families and friends physically or virtually regularly and make regular check-ins with those who are living alone and may be feeling isolated or struggling to care for themselves. Look out for behavioral changes which may indicate physical or mental health problems.
Vaccination: If vaccines are available, check with family doctor for advice. The elderly, people with pre-existing conditions and health workers are typically priority groups for vaccination.
Early diagnosis: Pay attention to early symptoms like drinking a lot of water, urinating a lot more than usual and feeling hungry and tired frequently. Don’t delay diabetes testing and diagnosis because of the fear of infection at medical facilities.
“Keeping social distance, wearing masks in public, and maintaining good personal hygiene are important for everyone during the pandemic. For diabetics, it is important to follow doctor’s instructions on medication and don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed, “said Dr. Raymond Tso, Medical Director, AVP, Sun Life Financial.
A healthy lifestyle with regular exercise and a balanced diet can help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. As medicine and technologies continue to advance, we can better support and care for people with diabetes.