Living Well with Type 1 Diabetes: Tips for Managing Your Condition

Russell

Consider your body as a busy city, every part of this city has an important role in running it. Your blood sugar acts as a conductor navigating the traffic and ensuring the energy is delivered wherever required. But when the city’s system is disturbed, diabetes makes an entry. Join us as we discuss what happens in Type 1 diabetes, how it happens, and how one can deal with it!

What is Type 1 Diabetes?

When your pancreas produces little to no insulin (a hormone that helps regulate your glucose), it develops into a chronic condition called Type 1 diabetes. Without insulin, glucose starts accumulating in your blood and eventually leads to high blood sugar levels.

Who does type 1 diabetes mostly affect?

Type 1 diabetes mostly affects children, adolescents, or young adults. However, it can occur at any age. The exact cause is not yet known but it is usually a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Different from type 2 diabetes, type 1 cannot be prevented using lifestyle modifications, it requires lifelong insulin therapy. 

What are the Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes?

For early diagnosis and management, it is crucial to recognise the type 1 diabetes symptoms. They may include:

• Feeling increasingly thirsty
• Feeling increasingly hungry
• Increased urination frequency
• Sudden weight loss
• Feeling fatigued
• Cuts and sores that heal slowly
• Experiencing Mood swings
• Vaginal infections

What are the Treatment Options for Type 1 Diabetes?

With type 1 diabetes, you will need synthetic insulin every day, multiple times, to be able to live well. The goal will be to try to keep your blood sugar in a safe range.

At times, type 1 diabetes management can be complicated because several factors that may affect your blood sugar level. However, it helps in preventing short-term and long-term complications. The usual type 1 diabetes treatment options are:

1. Insulin Therapy

   Because your body is unable to produce insulin, insulin can be taken in the form of injections or from insulin pumps to regulate your blood sugar levels.

2. Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM)
   With the help of a CGM device, you can record real-time readings of your glucose levels and make thoughtfully analysed decisions about your dose and lifestyle.
3. Carbohydrate Counting

   You can monitor your carb intake and try to match it with your dose to control your sugar levels every time you have a meal.

4. Regular Exercise
   Being physically active also helps in reducing your blood sugar and improves your insulin sensitivity.
5. Healthy Eating

   Having a diet that is balanced i.e., rich in veggies, proteins, grains, and fruits is crucial to manage your blood sugar levels.



What are Some Lifestyle Tips for Managing Type 1 Diabetes?

Having type 1 diabetes doesn’t just mean that you only look after your blood sugar levels. You have to take up a holistic approach for good health and well-being, which all boils down to improving your lifestyle. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Recognise the potential problems

Having a high blood sugar level can impact different parts of your body. Despite controlling your condition well, issues can arise. Hence, getting regular checkups is important. You can try recognising little signs, like tingling, numbness, swelling, and unhealing sores, and get them checked. Recognising such signs early can help prevent more damage.

2. Eat properly and on time
   Instead of eating 3 meals daily, you will have to eat food throughout the day in small quantities. It’s best to talk to your dietitian and see what foods suit your body the best. It should be a good combination of proteins, healthy fats, whole grains, veggies, and beverages with little to no sugar.


Also Read: How to Live a Sugar-Free Lifestyle with Diabetes

3. Be more active

   When you perform physical activities regularly, you start seeing the difference eventually. It has multiple benefits:balanced sugar levels, low blood pressure, weight loss, etc. It can also help prevent kidney and eye complications.

   Remember to closely monitor your sugar levels before, during, and post your workouts as exercising can elevate or lower your sugar levels and can even trigger hypoglycemia (very low blood sugar).

   Try finding exercises that give you the most joy and add them to your daily routine. It can be anything from swimming to walking, cycling, or dancing. Just aim for at least 150 minutes of exercise every week. 

4. Quit smoking or never start
   Controlling diabetes becomes difficult when you have a habit of smoking. It can evoke nerve damage or blindness. Cigarettes tend to elevate your sugar levels.
5. Get support
   Try to talk to people who are going through what you’re going through, it helps. Join support groups or sessions where you can meet more people fighting the same battle and aiming for a better lifestyle. Also, take the help of your family and friends whenever needed. You’re not in this alone.
6. Stay informed
   Knowledge is power, Stay up to date about your condition. It will help you better understand and deal with what is happening to your body. Learn more about type 1 diabetes treatments and how you can revise your lifestyle choices. You can stay informed by attending educational classes, and reading online and offline on reputable sources.
7. Don’t be too hard on yourself
   Managing a condition like diabetes is an ongoing process. You may have days when you feel low and you may have days when you feel your best, but don’t give yourself a hard time because of that. Sometimes things may not go as planned and that is completely fine. You’re only human. Try learning from these times, celebrate small victories, and keep motivating yourself.

Conclusion

Wrapping up type 1 diabetes management for you, remember to not just carry the knowledge but also a sense of determination. In this bustle, support is required and is also available. All you need to do is reach out. Believe in yourself and your strength, you can navigate through life’s twists and come out stronger! For instance, at TatvaCare, we provide holistic digital healthcare solutions to bridge the gap between doctors and patients. Our MyTatva is a future-ready personal assistant for patients needing help managing chronic conditions, like diabetes. Download and create a free account on our app and get ready to take on diabetes with determination. Our medication reminders, vitals monitoring tools, personalised exercise and diet coaching, and diabetes remission programmes are available for patient’s benefit. To book a free consulation, fill out our form here. Call us at +919974042363, write to us at support@tatvacare.in, or fill out our contact form to learn more about our services or get in touch for any queries or feedback. 

About the Author



Medically reviewed by

Dr. Devina Aswal

MBBS, DDM, FCR, CIC