If you have diabetes, quitting smoking is arguably the single best thing you can do for your eyes (as well as your heart, lungs, kidneys, dental health, etc.).

Keeping your blood pressure at or below 115/75 mm Hg will greatly reduce the risk of losing vision to diabetes.

Before you leave the hospital, make sure you have in writing what your medicines and doses should be when you arrive home. If some of the medicines you were taking before hospitalization are not on the list of medicines to take after, ask why. Also, ask your usual pharmacist to check your new combination of medicines for potential drug interactions or anything that you may be allergic to.

People meeting their diabetes treatment goals should have an HbA1c test at least twice a year, and those whose therapy has changed or who are not meeting their goals should be tested four times a year.

If you think your blood glucose level is low, address the problem promptly. Stop what you’re doing, check your blood glucose level with your meter, and have a snack if necessary, even if you have to stop your car or interrupt a conversation to do it. If you don’t have your meter with you or can’t use it for any reason, go ahead and treat your symptoms of hypoglycemia without checking your blood glucose level first.

To treat hypoglycemia, chew and swallow four glucose tablets (containing about 4 grams of carbohydrate each) or drink about 5 ounces of orange juice or a regular (not diet) soft drink.

Videos can be helpful for teaching you new routines and keeping you motivated. However, rather than buying exercise videos at retail price, it is far more cost-effective to borrow them from your public library, buy them for pennies at a garage sale, record them on your TV, or watch them online.

If you’re thinking of buying exercise equipment, only buy something if you’re sure you’ll use it regularly.

Walking is one of the best — and least expensive — forms of exercise. The only piece of equipment you need is a good pair of walking shoes.

One of the keys to saving money while maximizing nutrition is to plan meals well in advance.

Quite possibly. Generic drugs are almost identical to brand-name preparations, but they can cost significantly less. Ask your doctor if a generic version of your diabetes drugs is available and acceptable.

When shopping around for a deal on drug prices, consider all the medicines you take. Pick the source with the lowest overall cost for your total drug needs.

Manufacturer recommendations vary, but generally, opened bottles of insulin kept in either the refrigerator or at room temperature should be discarded after one month. Store unrefrigerated insulin below 86ºF away from heat and light and follow the manufacturer’s storage recommendations to avoid spoilage and waste.

Packaged alcohol wipes aren’t absolutely necessary. You can save money by using cotton balls and alcohol or by washing your hands with soap and water before each stick.

Look for a supplier that offers a frequent-buyer program with discounts and check for discount coupons in the packaging of your diabetes supplies.

Many insurance companies require personal initiation of each mail-order shipment, as opposed to automatically shipping supplies on a predetermined schedule. If you tend to forget to reorder supplies before you run out, therefore, it’s probably best to stick with local suppliers.

Ordering supplies by mail (online or by phone) is often the most cost-effective way to buy them.

Look for urine ketone strips that are come in individually-wrapped packets, which last longer than those that come packaged together once the package is opened. Since they may be used only sporadically, this can help ensure that they are not wasted.