Control Your Type 1 Diabetes
Diabetes is a killer disease. It can lead to kidney failure,
heart disease, neuropathy, blindness, and much more. If you
have diabetes, you must take control of it immediately.
Type 1 diabetes is the hardest type to control. It is also
called juvenile diabetes, as it is common to get type 1 diabetes
when you are a child.
In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin, which
is needed to take sugar (glucose) from the blood to the cells.
This results in very high blood sugar counts and this is the
major cause of many of the serious complications that may
develop.
A person with Type 1 diabetes needs to take insulin shots
to lower the blood sugar. Diabetics need to have an insulin
called a background insulin, which works throughout the day.
Then they need to take extra insulin after eating a meal.
An insulin pump gives the constant background insulin. It
also allows the diabetic to easily give themselves extra insulin
when they eat and cuts down on the need for insulin shots
from a needle.
However, diabetics must test their blood sugar levels four
or five times a day and make whatever adjustments need to
be made. The normal testing times are before breakfast, lunch,
dinner and bed. The amount of insulin to take with each meal
will be determined by a combination of these readings plus
the food eaten.
Sugar highs and lows wear down the body. The key is to try
to control these up and down readings the best you can. The
insulin pump helps tremendously but diet is very important.
Follow the glycemic index when eating. This index rates foods
according to the way these foods react to your blood sugar.
If the carbohydrates the food contains break down quickly,
they tend to make your blood sugar levels jump quickly. These
foods have a high GI (glycemic index) ranking.
For example, a potato has a high GI ranking. The carbohydrates
break down very quickly and cause your blood sugar to rise
quickly.
Beans have a low GI index, so the blood sugar effects are
spread out over a longer period of time. You do not get the
rapid sugar rise.
Diabetics, in particular, need to learn to balance these
foods to avoid those highs and lows. If you are having potatoes,
for example, try eating a sweet potato instead or combine
some low GI ranked foods with the potatoes to balance this
sugar rise.
It's well worth it for diabetics to learn as much as they
can about this glycemic index. The best diet for a diabetic
to follow will be eating more of the foods with a low to medium
glycemic index.
Other things the diabetic can do is snack on air popped popcorn
rather than pretzels. Salt should be limited in the diet as
the diabetic is at a greater risk for high blood pressure.
Eat broiled or grilled chicken rather than fried chicken.
This also helps control blood pressure and cholesterol.
If you want to drink wine, drink it with a meal. There is
less of an impact on blood sugar. However, do not over indulge.
It can and will interfere with your medications.
Diabetes is a very dangerous disease and any diabetic definitely
should be visiting a doctor on a regular basis. He or she
will help manage your diabetes and will most likely advise
a visit with a nutritionist.
Diabetes cannot be completely controlled but, with a change
in diet and lifestyle, diabetics can help manage it and live
a long life.
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Author: Eric Choong
Please visit my website at: http://www.health-beauty-care.com
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