Men's health in diabetes self-care and scientific medication use

Self-Care for Diabetic Patients

Diabetes is a chronic, persistent disease. Blood sugar levels are closely related to a patient's clothing, diet, housing, travel, and emotional state. Therefore, daily self-care methods are crucial.

Maintain an optimistic mood and a positive attitude. Only by controlling emotions and maintaining a good mood can one achieve health and longevity.

Understand and master knowledge about hypoglycemia reactions, especially when exercising or engaging in other activities. Carry food with you and eat snacks regularly to prevent hypoglycemia.

Men must abstain from smoking and alcohol, especially avoiding drinking on an empty stomach and drinking strong liquor. Even beer should be consumed in moderation, and staple foods should be reduced.

Develop regular lifestyle habits. Work, sleep, meals, and exercise should be done at fixed times and in fixed quantities, as these directly affect the dosage and timing of medication.

Pay attention to oral and eye hygiene. Wash your face morning and evening to avoid eye strain.

Pay attention to foot hygiene, washing your feet with warm water every night. Keep your feet warm in cold weather.

Avoid an overly salty diet and avoid unbalanced diets. Eat a lighter diet with a variety of foods. Avoid highly sugary foods and eat smaller, more frequent meals.

Avoid exercising on an empty stomach or overexerting yourself. Progress gradually and consistently.

If possible, test your urine glucose four times a day—before each meal and before bed—and record the results. This is especially important for patients injecting insulin. Those whose urine glucose and blood glucose levels are not aligned should monitor their blood glucose regularly.

Regularly visit the hospital for checkups including blood glucose, blood lipids, blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin, kidney function, liver function, electrocardiogram, fundus examination, and urinalysis. Even those with stable conditions should have their fasting blood glucose and 2-hour postprandial blood glucose tested once a month.

Optimal Medication Timing

Human life activities have a strong circadian rhythm, and changes in these rhythms have a significant impact on the body, particularly regarding medication timing. Taking different medications at different times according to the body's functions and the patient's condition not only ensures better absorption and higher efficacy but also minimizes side effects.

Tonic medications, such as ginseng royal jelly and bee milk, should not be taken after meals but rather on an empty stomach in the morning or before bedtime.

Digestive aids are best taken 10 minutes before or during meals to promote the secretion of digestive juices and ensure proper binding with food.

Medications used for hypnosis, laxatives, anthelmintics, and contraception are generally best taken half an hour before bedtime. However, fast-acting medications, such as castor oil, should be taken on an empty stomach in the morning.

Common antibiotics, such as tetracycline, are rapidly excreted and require a 6-hour interval to maintain a sufficient concentration in the blood for maximum antibacterial effect. However, some long-acting antibiotics require a different approach.

Patients with hypertension should take antihypertensive medication three times daily, at 7:00 AM, 3:00 PM, and 7:00 PM. The morning and evening doses should be slightly less than the 3:00 PM dose. Antihypertensive medication should not be taken before bedtime.

Penicillin injections should be given half an hour after meals; injections should be avoided on an empty stomach.

Glucocorticoids such as prednisone are best administered at 8:00 AM, and only once daily is required.

Patients with pulmonary tuberculosis should take oral anti-tuberculosis drugs in the morning on an empty stomach or three hours after meals.

Aspirin, indomethacin, and other medications that strongly irritate the stomach should be taken half an hour after meals.