Type I diabetes is a serious metabolic disorder that affects the way that the body processes glucose. Normally, the pancreas manufactures a hormone called insulin that facilitates glucose uptake in the tissues of the body. Type I diabetics fail to make enough insulin, so the body literally starves in the presence of plenty of fuel. Unlike its cousin, type II diabetes, which can be effectively managed through diet, exercise and oral medications, type I diabetics require insulin injected into their body. Learning how to balance the dosage of insulin, types of food and physical activity becomes a lifelong educational process.
Injecting Insulin
Shortly after they're diagnosed, type I diabetics learn how to inject insulin into their skin to take the place of the insulin not produced by their pancreas. Normally, it is injected into fatty tissue areas where it is diffused and enters the bloodstream. Insulin cannot be taken orally because it is broken down in the stomach and rendered useless. There are a number of different types of insulin---rapid, short, intermediate and long-acting. There are also insulins that are pre-mixed according to specific needs. Your doctor will help you determine which type of insulin best fits your needs according to how quickly the insulin becomes absorbed, how active your lifestyle is, how willing you are to inject yourself, your age and how often you check your blood sugar levels. Each type of insulin has onset, peak and duration times.
Dietary Approaches
Another approach to managing type I diabetes is the same one used by type II diabetics---using the glycemic index of carbohydrates. The glycemic index (GI) is a system that rates how quickly carbohydrates cause blood glucose levels to spike. All carbohydrates are rated as either low (less than 55), medium (55 to 70) or high (above 70). The goal is to choose carbohydrates that rate low on the GI and help to stabilize your blood glucose levels. For instance, apples (38) and cherries (22) make better snacks than watermelon, which is rated at 72. You can combine low GI foods with high GI foods to average their impact on your blood glucose. Another option is to eat foods containing fats and proteins with high GI foods.
Exercise
Regular aerobic exercise benefits diabetics on two fronts---first, it consumes glucose circulating in the blood. Second, it sensitizes active muscles to the uptake of insulin. Both result in lower, safer blood glucose levels. Type I diabetics need to carefully coordinate insulin injections and food intake with their activity to avoid rapid reductions in blood glucose that can lead to lightheadedness, disorientation or other serious side effects. Type I diabetics learn how to choose insulin injection sites that aren't primarily used during exercise. For instance, a diabetic runner might choose an injection site on their upper body or torso instead of the thigh. A swimmer might do just the opposite.
