Featuring Roger Hare, Nikki NurseReviewed by Preeti Parikh, MD | December 15, 2022

Roger Hare and Nikki Nurse, who both live with Type 2 diabetes, have learned the importance of finding support while managing their condition.

“It’s extremely important that you surround yourself with a good team [of] medical professionals that can help encourage you and hold you accountable,” says Hare.

Here are the ways they have found helpful for feeling supported with Type 2 diabetes:

Look for a medical team that makes you feel supported: Finding the right primary-care provider in addition to other specialists like a nutritionist or endocrinologist can help you feel balanced in managing your illness.

Be open to finding other providers who may be a better fit: If you don’t feel comfortable with your providers, you may want to seek a second or even a third opinion. Keep in mind that it’s important to not delay care or make too many constant changes in your team, or it may be hard for the care team to get to know you and your disease.

Ask loved ones for help with everyday tasks so you have time for self-care: Stress can possibly make diabetes worse, so asking for help around the house or hiring outside help can give you extra time to take care of yourself.

Ask loved ones to join you in making lifestyle changes: When the rest of your family or friends are on board with healthy food choices and exercise, it may b e easier to keep yourself healthy, too.

Include a mental health professional on your care team: Talking with someone and addressing your mental health may make it easier to take care of your physical health.

You can read more about Nikki’s experience with Type 2 diabetes here, and Roger’s experience with Type 2 diabetes here.

References

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Written by:

Marisa Taylor Karas

Marisa Taylor Karas is a freelance journalist based in Brooklyn who has covered health, gender, and technology for 15 years. She previously worked at The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera America, among other publications, and also served as managing editor of the Mellon Foundation in New York City.

Reviewed by:

Preeti Parikh, MD

Dr. Preeti Parikh is a board-certified practicing pediatrician in New York City. In addition to overseeing all editorial content at HealthiNation, she sees patients at Westside Pediatrics, is an assistant clinical professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and is an American Academy of Pediatrics spokesperson.