How To Make A Good Type 1 Diabetes Treatment Plan For A Healthier Life

By
Mercy Ekele
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Establishing a good diabetes treatment plan will help you manage the condition for the best possible outcomes.

Here are some ways to make a Type 1 diabetes treatment plan:

Type 1 diabetes, which is also called juvenile diabetes, is a chronic disease, which, despite its name, can begin and affect people at any age. This type of diabetes is an autoimmune disease.

While it can occur suddenly due to infection, symptoms will usually appear after an illness. Symptoms in type 1 are usually quite noticeable, more severe, and quicker to cause illness.

These problems can be life-threatening. They may include:

  • Weakened immunity to infectious diseases
  • Poor circulation (including in the eyes and kidneys)
  • Illnesses, infectious diseases
  • Numbness, tingling in toes and feet
  • Infections slow to heal (if at all) especially in toes and feet
  • Gangrene (dead flesh) in toes, feet, and legs (usually without pain)

Those with type 1 diabetes must work with their doctor to find their correct dosage of insulin, because different individuals have different reactions to various types of insulin, and because some individuals with this type of diabetes may still be producing insulin at mild levels.

Without insulin, the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes will rapidly worsen and eventually cause death. Your precise daily insulin dosages will vary based on your size, diet, activity level, and genetics, which is why it is so important to see a doctor to get a thorough evaluation before beginning your diabetes treatment plan.

In general, people with diabetes should strive to be physically fit. Physical exercise has the effect of lowering the body’s glucose levels – sometimes for as long as 24 hours.

The most harmful effects of diabetes are caused by elevated glucose levels (blood sugar “spikes”), therefore, exercise after eating is a valuable tool that uses sugar naturally and allows people with diabetes to keep glucose at manageable levels.

Exercise also provides the same benefits to those with diabetes that it does to those without it – namely, greater overall fitness, weight loss (but rapid weight loss is a bad symptom indicating food and sugar is not used properly by your system). You can gain higher strength and endurance, higher energy levels, elevated mood, and more benefits of exercise as well.

Stress is known to cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate. Constant or prolonged stress can cause blood sugar levels to rise in the long term, which means you may need to use more medication or exercise more frequently to stay healthy.

Generally, the best cure for stress is a preventative one – avoid stress in the first place by exercising frequently, getting enough sleep, avoiding stressful situations when possible, and talking about your problems before they become serious.

Read also: How To Undergo Diagnostic Tests For Diabetes

Illness can cause your blood sugars to fluctuate. Prolonged or serious illness can necessitate changes in the way you take your diabetes medication.

The best policy when it comes to illnesses, is to avoid them by living a life that is as healthy, happy, and stress-free as possible. If and when you do come down with an illness, be sure to give yourself the rest and medicine that you need to get better as quickly as possible.

Women with diabetes have unique challenges when it comes to managing blood sugar during their periods and menopause.

Though diabetes affects every woman differently, many women report having elevated blood sugar levels in the days before their periods, which can require using more insulin or changing your diet and exercise habits to compensate. 

However, your blood sugar levels during your menstrual cycle may be different, so talk to your doctor or gynecologist for specific guidance.

Read also: How To Tell If You Have Diabetes: Recognizing The Signs And Symptoms

Right after you are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, it is likely that you will need to meet with your doctor regularly to get a sense for how to best control your blood glucose levels. It can take a few weeks to develop an insulin therapy regimen that perfectly matches your diet and activity level.

Once your diabetes treatment routine is established, you won’t need to meet with your doctor quite as often.

However, you should plan on maintaining a good relationship with your doctor, which means scheduling semi-regular follow-up appointments. Your doctor is the person who is best-suited to detecting anomalies to manage your diabetes during times of stress, sickness, pregnancy, and so on.

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