Women under age 45 who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are more likely  to ignore recommendations to keep the condition under control, according to a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report recently published in the Journal of Women’s Health. Women with diabetes are also more prone to skip other basic health procedures, such as PAP smears, than women without diabetes.

Use these tips to manage your diabetes:

• Trim your waist. Measure your waist in inches around the belly button and divide that number by your hip measurement. A number higher than 0.9 means slim down.

• Know your numbers. Consume between 1,400 and 1,600 calories a day as a general rule of thumb.

• Get that heart a-thumpin’. Exercise acts like medicine because it lowers blood sugar as muscles turn glucose into energy.

Read the full article by Leah Zerbe at Rodale.com