When you have diabetes, it’s especially important to stay healthy. Yet managing everything you’re supposed to do, from eating right, to exercising to taking your medications, can seem overwhelming. But you don’t have to go it alone.? A diabetes educator has the knowledge and skills to help you figure out the best way to take charge of your diabetes.

Diabetes educators are healthcare professionals who are nurses, dietitians or pharmacists. Research shows diabetes education works, helping people with diabetes lower their blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which help reduce the risk of complications.

A diabetes educator will work with you by focusing on seven important self-care behaviors in a way that fits into your lifestyle and works best for you:

• Healthy eating – What and how often you eat affects your blood sugar. A diabetes educator will help you read food labels, count carbohydrates, manage portion sizes, and make choices that are healthy and work for you.

• Being active – Moving your body is important to keeping your blood sugar and cholesterol down. It also eases stress. A diabetes educator will help you explore ways to get more activity in your day without it being a burden.

• Monitoring – Which type of equipment works best for you and how should you use it? A diabetes educator can help with that, as well as guide you in what to do when to do when your numbers are out of range.

• Taking medication – A diabetes educator explains how medications work and simplifies instructions for taking them. If you experience any side effects or are taking any over-the counter medications, be sure to let your doctor or diabetes educator know.

• Problem-solving – It’s important to plan ahead to avoid problems with glucose levels, and a diabetes educator can explain how to do that, including by bringing snacks and taking medication correctly. A diabetes educator can also help you plan how to solve a problem when an unexpected issue arises, such as illness or a delay in travel that interferes with a meal.

• Healthy coping – It’s important for everyone to know how to cope when life throws you a curve ball, whether big (divorce, financial crises) or small (traffic makes you late for work). That’s especially true when you have diabetes. A diabetes educator will work closely with you to figure out healthy ways that work best for you to cope with problems, such as faith-based activities, activity, hobbies or medication.

• Reducing risks – Keeping health risks in check can make managing diabetes easier. A diabetes educator can explain why it’s important not to smoke, as well as why you should see an eye doctor once a year. You should work closely with your doctor and diabetes educator to avoid complications, such as by taking medication to lower your cholesterol.

Doctors say diabetes education really helps their patients with diabetes.? Ask your doctor about working with a diabetes educator. To find a diabetes educator near you, visit diabeteseducator.org and click “Find an Educator.”