I have been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, now what?
You or your child just received the news that you have been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. It is normal to feel shocked and overwhelmed with the news. Afterall, your life will completely change from this point on as you will have to learn what a carbohydrate is, learn how inject yourself insulin everyday and to check your blood sugars just to name a few things. You may feel frustrated because there is so much information and you don’t know where to start. The best thing to do is to break the information down into small, achievable steps. You don’t need to learn everything overnight. It will take time and effort, but it will definitely pay off in the long run. Be patient and kind to yourself and know that you are not alone and that there many resources out there at your disposal.
7 areas that you can work on to improve your diabetes :
Healthy Eating – Healthy eating is at the core of diabetes management. What you eat directly impacts your blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates, especially simple carbohydrates, raise your blood sugars too fast and too high.
Being Active – Regular physical activity can help lower your blood sugar, but if you have type 1 diabetes, be mindful of when you exercise in relation to when you took your last insulin dose, otherwise you may end up with a low blood sugar. You may also need a reduction in your insulin dose if you exercise regularly.
Monitoring - Check blood sugars and keeping a food diary will give you a wealth of information. You can use this information to further tweak you eating habits as well as your medication doses
Taking Medicines – People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin everyday. However, when you take your insulin and where you inject can impact your blood sugar levels as well
Problem Solving – There will be days when you do everything right but your blood sugar drops or rises too much despite your best efforts. Don’t panic. Having a plan of how to correct a low or high blood, or what to do when you are sick will make your day much smoother.
Reducing Risks – The best way to reduce risk of developing short and long term complications of diabetes is to get preventive care such as getting a dilated eye exam, foot care, flu and pneumonia shots, and dental care.
Healthy Coping – Life happens. Know when to ask for help and who you can talk to when you feel stressed or overwhelmed.