Glycaemic hygiene.

Hygiene is the foundation of health. This communication proposes the concept of glycaemic hygiene, defined as "conditions and practices that help to maintain health, and prevent the development of diabetes mellitus and its complications". Glycaemic hygiene is relevant at the level of the person, the physician and the community. Aspects such as personal hygiene, food hygiene, physical activity hygiene, mental/ emotional hygiene and dental hygiene must be optimized to ensure good health individuals. Skin hygiene, vaccine hygiene and environmental hygiene are equally important in diabetes care. Physicians should ensure pharmacological hygiene, language hygiene and information hygiene to foster good diabetes self-care and management.