Healthy lifestyle tips

Choose healthier carbohydrates, such as whole grains (brown rice, whole oats), fruit, vegetables, pulses (chickpeas, beans) and dairy (unsweetened yoghurt and milk)

Eat less salt. Try to limit yourself to a maximum of 6g (one teaspoonful) of salt per day

Swap red and processed meat for pulses, eggs, fish, poultry (chicken, turkey) and unsalted nuts

Eat more fruits and vegetables throughout the day. As someone living with diabetes, you don’t need to avoid fruits because the natural sugar they contain is different from the free sugars found in chocolate, biscuits and cakes

Choose healthier fats in foods such as unsalted nuts, seeds, avocados, oily fish, olive oil, rapeseed oil and sunflower oil

Drink alcohol sensibly and avoid drinking on an empty stomach

If you have specific health conditions, or you are on medications that put you at risk of low blood sugar, talk to your healthcare team before you begin increasing your activity

Start exercising slowly with ‘warmups’ and increase your activity levels gradually to prevent injuries. Begin with small changes, such as moving more around the house; activities like hoovering, washing your car, or watering plants can all make a difference

Keep active whilst you’re on the move. For example, you can get off the bus or tube one stop earlier, park further away from your destination, take the stairs, and walk or cycle wherever possible

Exercise can affect your blood sugar levels in different ways. Check your blood sugar before, during and after exercise to learn how being active affects your body

It’s a good idea to keep a carb-rich snack on hand, such as a sandwich, a piece of fruit, or a cereal bar, to help prevent low blood sugar

Wear your diabetes ID so those around you can help if needed. This might help provide some extra reassurance to get you moving