What is it about ?
Diabetes is characterized by having too much sugar (glucose) in the blood (blood sugar). Insulin plays an important role in the development of diabetes. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas, which causes sugar in the blood to be absorbed into cells.
In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not make enough insulin. To correct this lack, insulin is injected several times a day into the fat under the skin (subcutaneous injection). These injections make it possible to mimic the natural secretion of insulin.
Too high blood sugar (blood sugar) levels damage the blood vessels. If you have been diabetic for a while and are not treated properly, you may suffer from damage to all the small blood vessels in the body, with consequences for the cardiovascular system, eyes, kidneys, nervous system and feet.
Insulin treatment (insulin therapy)
People with type 1 diabetes learn to adapt the amount of insulin to their daily rhythm, diet, physical activity and blood sugar levels. They usually give their insulin injections by hand. But they can also use an insulin pump.
Under normal circumstances and with appropriate treatment, the blood always contains – between meals and during the night – a certain amount of insulin (basal insulin) necessary for the transformation of the sugars present in the blood. With each meal, a large amount of sugar is released into the blood, which requires the administration of an appropriate dose of rapid-acting insulin before a meal (mealtime insulin). The dose is determined based on the amount of sugars (carbohydrates) in the meal in question.
It is still necessary to check the blood sugar level (glycemia) daily and, if necessary, to adjust the insulin dose.
There are different types of insulin. What makes the difference between insulins is how quickly they work and how long they work. The choice of the preparation, the dose and the frequency of injections are determined individually and depend in particular on body weight and the risk of a severe lack of sugar in the blood (hypoglycemia).
What can you do ?
Make sure you understand what type 1 diabetes means and that you have good control over insulin therapy. A good diabetology educator and regular follow-up with the general practitioner and the diabetes specialist (diabetologist) are essential!
Food
A Healthy eating is important for everyone, including people with type 1 diabetes. The amount of food should be appropriate for your individual needs. Avoid gaining too much weight. Schedule your meals and snacks based on your daily rhythm, insulin therapy and physical activity. Modern insulin therapy allows you to manage your meal times with greater flexibility. An adult does not need to plan their meals any other way.
The goal is to learn how to adapt the insulin dose to the meal. Self-measuring your blood sugar on a drop of blood taken from your fingertip and accurately estimating the amount of carbohydrate in a meal can help.
Physical activity
THE’physical activity improves physical condition and mood. It also has a beneficial effect on blood sugar levels, on blood fat and cholesterol levels and on excess weight.
Physical activity increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin. As a result, sugars are broken down faster and blood sugar levels drop. Blood sugar can drop too low during exercise, just after training or a few hours after exercise. Blood sugar depends on the following factors:
- The level of insulin in the blood;
- The duration and intensity of physical activity;
- Training experience and muscle condition;
- Food eaten before and during exercise.
Exercise with caution if your blood sugar is above 300 mg / dl. Such a rate indicates that the amount of insulin is insufficient to break down the sugars. The body will therefore burn fat to provide the necessary energy. This produces a greater amount of waste material, such as ketones. However, excess ketones lead to acidification of the blood (ketoacidosis). Ketones can be measured using a dipstick dipped in urine. Do not participate in sports if your blood sugar is high, if you drink and urinate a lot, and if your urine contains ketones. These 3 signs indicate poor regulation of your diabetes, which must first be normalized.
If your blood sugar is below 100 mg / dl, eat or drink foods high in carbohydrates before you start exercising. If your blood sugar is too low, you risk hypoglycemia and potentially fainting.
Study the influence of physical activity on your blood sugar by measuring it before and after exercise. If necessary, eat or drink foods rich in carbohydrates to avoid hypoglycemia during exercise. Take carbohydrate intake before and during training, at hourly intervals (20-30g per hour), depending on your individual needs and your blood sugar. For example, you can eat an extra toast before training and drink an energy drink during training. Always take high carbohydrate foods and / or drinks with you, whether during or after exercise.
Keep a close eye on your blood sugar after a hard workout. If it drops, correct it with foods rich in carbohydrates.
Want to know more?
- Diabetes: mobile applications – mHealthBelgium
- Diabetes: intervention of mutuals for children and adolescents – INAMI – National Institute for Sickness and Invalidity Insurance
Source