Only 5 percent of people with diabetes have Type 1, also called insulin-dependent diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Managing your Type 1 diabetes with a combination of diet and lifestyle choices will help you avoid serious health complications, such as blindness, nerve damage and kidney or heart failure. Monitor your blood sugar levels closely and work with your doctor or nutritionist to design a meal plan that works for your individual needs.
Calories and Macronutrients
The American Diabetes Association suggests that most diabetics consume between 1,500 and 2,00 calories daily. You can determine how many calories you should eat by multiplying your goal weight in pounds by 12 to 15, depending on your activity level. The more active you are, the more calories you'll need. If your goal weight is 140 lbs., you should get about 1,700 calories daily. High-fiber, complex carbohydrates should account for about 50 percent of those calories, 30 percent should come from fat and 20 percent should come from protein.
Glucose and Insulin
If you have Type 1 diabetes, you'll need to take insulin to help manage glucose levels. When you eat, your body converts food into energy, or glucose. This glucose circulates in your bloodstream until insulin, a hormone normally produced by your pancreas, helps transport the glucose from your bloodstream to your cells for use as energy. If you don't have enough insulin, you'll have too much glucose in your bloodstream. Over time, chronic high glucose levels can weaken and damage blood vessels -- this is what causes heart, kidney, nerve and eye damage.
Meals and Eating with Type 1 Diabetes
Avoid high glucose levels by taking the correct amount of insulin and eating a diet low in added sugars and starches, which are most easily turned into glucose by your body. The best way to regulate your blood sugar is to eat small, frequent meals on a regular schedule. Eating less food will produce less glucose. Eating more often will ensure you don't have low blood sugar, which can trigger hunger and a craving for sweets -- which can lead to overeating and high blood sugar. Eat three meal and two to three snacks every day and don't go more than four hours without eating.
Slowing Digestion
Your meals should always combine complex carbohydrates, lean protein and unsaturated fat. Fat, protein and fiber slow digestion, which can provide a slow and steady supply of glucose. Simple carbohydrates, eating carbohydrates by themselves and overeating, all speed digestion and help your body create glucose more quickly. The faster glucose hits your bloodstream, the more insulin your body will need and the more likely you are to have high blood sugar.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Type 1
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse; What I Need to Know About Eating and Diabetes; October 2007
- MedlinePlus: Type 1 Diabetes
- "Diabetes Care"; Diabetes Nutrition Recommendations for Health Care Institutions; American Diabetes Association; January 2004
- FamilyDoctor.org; Type 1 Diabetes; September 2000
