Type 1 diabetes means that the pancreas makes little or no hormone that enables blood sugar to enter the cells, accumulating in the blood. This is the cause of complications that occur as a result of diabetes. It also triggers the development of other symptoms. Patients with type 1 diabetes manage the condition by controlling their accumulation of blood sugar. They must also do other things that help maintain a healthy lifestyle because they reduce diabetes complications by close to 70 percent. Those with type 1 diabetes should eat healthy foods that will not escalate the level of blood glucose. Eating a healthy diet together with exercising also reduces extra weight because it worsens diabetic complications. Type 1 Diabetes develops in people of all ages. However, it mainly begins in children, teenagers, and young adults. There is currently no cure, so those diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes have to live with it forever.
What Causes Type 1 Diabetes?
Type 1 Diabetes develops due to different factors that occur when the body self attacks by mistake and destroys beta cells in the pancreas. Scientists have not found the exact thing that makes the body start attacking its cells. The damage starves the cells because the body lacks the hormone necessary to transport sugar and glucose. The process happens gradually, so it can take months or years for symptoms to appear.
Typically this is from genetics. There is almost always a family relation which has Type 1 diabetes as well. It may not be parents, but is usually somewhere in the family tree. Not all carriers of these genes develop Type 1 Diabetes in their lifetime, but the odds are higher than in other people.
A Day in the Life of a Type 1 Diabetic
Management for this type of diabetes is a lifetime activity, but the strategies below help diabetics keep their daily routine on track.
Morning
- Check blood sugar after waking: Experts recommend a blood sugar check soon after rising to get an estimate of the level at night. People living with diabetes should control it with an injection if sugars are high or appropriate intake when the sugar level is too low. Blood sugars tests are mandatory before any meal and after.
- Healthy breakfast: A breakfast helps control type 1 Diabetes whether the sugar level is low or appropriate. Food from every nutritional group should make up breakfast. They include:
- Whole grains
- Low levels of healthy carbohydrates
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Take medications: Diabetics should take their medicine in the morning after breakfast and prepare a kit if they need to take more in subsequent hours. A pillbox or placing medication next to a toothbrush prevents forgetting.
- Prepare for the day′s activity: Planning for the day includes packing snacks and glucose sources like juices. Another blood sugar test is essential as it is hazardous to leave when low, especially for those who drive or ride a bike.
- Eat a snack around mid-morning: A healthy snack in the mid-morning helps maintain a high level of energy and level blood sugar. An apple or almonds are good examples of healthy snacks.
Afternoon
- Eat lunch: Diabetics should take a healthy lunch after checking their blood sugar. It will be more convenient to pack lunch when there is no guarantee to find a healthy dish. A little portion of complex carbs to raise blood sugar is good for lunch when combined with foods like:
- Lean proteins
- Non-starchy vegetables,
- Fruits
- Exercises: Moderate exercising helps the body stay active, improve circulation, reduce stress, and elevate mood. Moderate activities for 30 minutes to an hour like walking, jogging, or dancing in the afternoon help manage diabetes. A minimum level of exercise to consider is 30 minutes performed 5 times per week. Testing blood sugar test is essential before and after a workout as well as levels will drop during exercise. Glucose should be at hand when going to exercise in case levels drop too low
Evening
- Dinner: It should comprise nutritious foods from proteins, minimal carbohydrates, vitamins, and healthy fat. It is good to prepare different types every day. The mealtime, like others, ends with testing blood sugar.
- Relaxing: Diabetics should create their time to relax with activities like reading, watching movies, dancing, or engaging in conversation. It eliminates stress from day activities before bedtime.
- Sleeping: Early retirements to bed allow at least 7 hours of deep sleep before morning. Lack of enough sleep affects the capacity to manage blood sugar. Diabetics should test their blood sugar before bedtime. A snack raises it if it drops at night. They should inform a physician if the sugar levels often drop or rise at night or lack of sleep happens for days.
The previous day is obviously just an example. Everyone lives a different life, but the keys are there for a Type 1 Diabetics. It boils down to knowledge and applying that knowledge. Monitoring blood sugar lets a Type 1 diabetic make informed decisions about their diet and exercise to keep their blood sugars in the right place and avoid many of the dangerous complications that can occur due to Diabetes.