- Your diabetes may vary. Each body is different. We react to and deal with every aspect of life differently. No one way is right or wrong. This disease is about trial and error. Some foods are absorbed, digested differently in each person. This is a huge consideration when it comes to managing Diabetes. I recently told my Endocrinologist that if it weren’t for carbs I would be in great health but I do need to eat as we all do.
- What you read, see and/or hear is not how it “really or usually” is. The norm in the media has it quite wrong most of the time. There is more to Diabetes than just…..Diabetes. There are different Types: I, II, LADA, Gestational. There are a number of reasons why someone may or may not get this disease and a plethora of unknowns. This disease is very individual. It has a mind of it’s own and it is far from prejudice. There is no simple regiment that fits all. If you have questions, there are plenty of accurate resources out there to guide you. TuDiabetes, DiabetesMine, DiabetesDaily and The Diabetes Resource are great places to start.
- No set formula of any treatment will work for all. For Type 1 Diabetes, insulin is a treatment, not a cure. Just because someone needs insulin, this does not make him or her bad or worse off. It means just that; they need insulin. Here’s the thing many don’t seem to know: Every body needs insulin. Insulin is a necessary hormone made by the pancreas that controls the level of the sugar glucose in the blood. Insulin permits cells to use glucose for energy. Cells cannot utilize glucose without insulin. As to why some produce it fine their whole lives and others don’t – if researchers really knew, maybe a cure would be closer than I believe it ever will be.
- We all react and deal with Diabetes differently. Diabetes is not just about a meal plan, watching/counting carbs, doing a blood test, taking insulin…it is so much more. There is a physical and mental toll that needs to be taken into consideration. See 1.
- Diabetes is progressive. It changes with you as you get older – symptoms change, sensitivity changes, need for insulin amount changes, medication needs etc change. The constant in Diabetes is change. Those who live with the disease do their best each and every moment of every day. Going with the flow, taking one blood sugar level at a time is key to balancing your management.
- Management of Diabetes is every minute of every day. You can’t just stop doing blood tests, taking medication or taking into account practically every move you make. There is no vacation from Diabetes. No break. It is everyday, all day. There are so many variables and factors that contribute to the management of this disease. First is your blood sugar level, what are you doing, what do you think you will be doing, what are thinking about eating, don’t forget to count carbs, factor in the grams of fat too, exercise in the near future maybe, are you tired or energetic today, are you coming down with an infection or cold. It is never ending, every day.
- Yes. Yes I can eat that. Each
person is entitled to eat whatever, whenever they want. How is someone
with Diabetes different? They aren’t. They just have to pay a bit more
attention. We can eat the same things as the next person. Even candy,
sweets or sugary stuff. Type 1’s count carbs in order to administer the
correct amount of insulin. Most all food has a carb count. We factor it
in, do the amount of insulin that works for us and get on with our day.
Crystal was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes on 05/15/85, age 6. Multiple Daily Injections for 20 years. Pumping for over 4 years. Started blogging and advocating at Randomly capitalizeD through humor (probably some sarcasm but definitely honesty) about her life at age 29. Been living without health insurance for over 2 years. "The constant in Diabetes is change."
Thanks for another amazing article. Where else could anyone get this kind of information in such a great way of writing.