Diabetes management program
Health checks
Every year, ask your doctor about these wellness checks. You may need some of them more than once a year.
- Blood pressure
- HbA1c
- Total cholesterol (HDL, LDL, triglycerides)
- Urine microalbumin
- Diabetes eye exam
- Dental exam
- Foot exam
- Flu shot
Also, check with your doctor to see of your pneumonia shot is up to date.
Diabetes is a disease in which the body doesn’t produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that converts sugar, starch and other food into energy. There are two major types of diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas stops producing insulin. This type of diabetes is common among children and young adults.
Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas makes some insulin, but either it is not enough or the body's cells do not use it correctly. This type of diabetes is found more commonly in adults.
Managing Diabetes
Treatment for diabetes revolves around blood sugar control. By following your treatment plan, there’s a lot you can do to live well. You can manage your condition and work with your primary care physician to:
- A personal action plan (PDF)
- Use medicines correctly
- Monitor your blood sugar with the blood sugar tracker (PDF)
- Get regular retinal eye exams (PDF)
- Exercise regularly and eat healthy foods
- Quit smoking
Other resources
- American Diabetes Association
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Juvenile Diabetes Foundation international
- National Eye Institute
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders
- Michigan Diabetes Outreach Network
Contact our Disease Management department
To talk with a Disease Management nurse, call us at 1-800-392-4247 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Log in to Member Secure Services and click the Health and Wellness tab for more health resources, including in-depth information about these conditions.
page modified 09/23/2011