Author: 5jlparrish

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 Diabetes

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Alysa Chirillo
Joseph Parrish

Life with Type 1 Diabetes

What is Type 1 Diabetes?
Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the pancreas stops producing insulin. Without insulin, the cells of the body cannot absorb the sugar (glucose) the a person eats. The sugar builds up in the blood, cause high blood sugar, along with numerous other problems. Type 1 Diabetes is not curable, but it is much easier to live with if symptoms are treated by medical professionals.
Type 1 Treatment and Control
It is important to learn how to recognize blood sugar spikes and drops in blood sugar. Always carry glucose tablets or a small sugary food/drink to eat in case of a sudden decrease in blood sugar. Carry insulin always, for spikes in blood sugar. Check your blood sugar before and after meals.
Exercise and a healthy diet are very important and easy ways to control your diabetes and keep blood sugar under control.

Professionals in Diabetes
Nutritionists are helpful to diabetics because they advise what to eat and how to maintain a healthy weight. Podiatrists help diabetics who have foot problems because of their high blood sugar. Endocrinologists help diabetics treat their insulin hormone deficiencies.
Innovations in Diabetic Technology
Type 1 Diabetes requires regular insulin injections that regulate blood sugar levels throughout the day.
Insulin pumps are devices that attach to a needle that stays in your skin, and it monitors your levels and feeds insulin into the body in accordance with the reading levels.
Monitors are small devices that draw the blood into a strip and reads the blood sugar levels. They are an essential tool to all diabetics.

Dealing with Diabetes

The following person did not have a name with their story.
“ I was diagnosed almost a decade ago in tenth grade. There are three main things that frustrate me about diabetes.”
“ Diabetes: When people think of diabetes, they always think of the fat, whiney, and obese type two people.”
“ Weird symptoms: I have learned not to trust myself. When I am hungry, I cannot listen to that feeling, because it usually just means that my blood sugar is high or dropping. It also may mean that I have made a mistake in my routine, such as forgetting my insulin.
“Fear: People and doctors always telling me that I won’t even make it past the age of 30. As soon as someone finds out I have diabetes, they say they could never do what I do, but I have to do it, just to live.”
-Anonymous

Dietary Recommendations
The foods that diabetics really need to worry about are foods with high carbs. Carbs are fiber, sugar, sugar alcohol, and starches. Carbs are what raise blood sugar levels, so all diabetics need to be aware of what they are eating and how many carbs they are consuming per meal.
Low Carb Veggies:
Cucumber, lettuce, broccoli, asparagus, celery, green, red, and yellow bell pepper, okra, spinach, green beans, carrots, and many others.
Low Carb Fruits:
Melons, strawberries, cantaloupe, avocado, blackberries, grapefruit, oranges, peaches, papaya, cranberries, plum, raspberries, pineapple, and many more.
Eating healthy is what any diabetic should focus on when choosing their meals. Keeping a food journal helps you maintain your health and how many carbs you consume every day.

Healthy Diabetes Menu
Breakfast: Almond and Blueberry Pancakes (19g carbs, 114 calories, .8g of saturated fat, 251.3 mg of sodium) 8 oz glass of 100% orange juice with no sugar added (18g of carbs, 70 calories)
Lunch: Taco Bell Chicken Soft Taco Supreme (21g of carbs, 230 calories, 5g of saturated fat, 570 mg of sodium) and Diet Coke (0 carbs, 0 calories)
Dinner: Adobo Beef Sirloin, marinated in a spicy chipotle sauce. ( 12g carbs , 438 calories, 4.5g saturated fat, 164 mg sodium) Broiled Feta Cheese Tomatoes (7.3g carbs, 54 calories, .8g saturated fat, 33.3 mg of sodium.) cheese, onion, and spinach stuffed mushrooms (3.4 g of carbs, 24 calories, 1.4g saturated fat, 666mg of sodium.) and unsweetened tea (0 carbs, 0 calories)

Staying Fit
For people with Type 1 Diabetes, exercise typically lowers blood sugar levels, and also keeps up cardiovascular health. It also controls weight. It is important to keep an exercise log of blood sugar levels before, during and after exercise in order to monitor the effects of different exercise activities.

Type 1 Diabetes