TYPE I DIABETESBY IVY STITES

DAY IN THE LIFE

“I wake up, check my BGL (Blood Glucose Levels) then depending if they are high or low, I take some insulin to compensate for my high levels, or I eat something to balance out my low glucose levels. Then I go about my day. I

check my glucose levels when I feel sluggish or when I feel extremely hyper. I eat breakfast, inject insulin to balance out levels, and do the same thing for

every meal. If I exercise, I decrease the amount of insulin being injected into my body throughout that time period. Before I go to bed, I set my pump to inject

the right amount of insulin throughout the night, then I go to bed and repeat the same thing the next day and the next day, and so on. I’m a normal person, just

with more responsibilities” (A Day in the Life of any diabetic).

BACKGROUND OF THE DISEASE

•Type I Diabetes is caused by the pancreas’ inability to produce insulin.

• Insulin is what balances glucose in the bloodstream.

•Type I Diabetics are usually born with this disease, which means it is inherited, not caused by obesity, like many common beliefs.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUR DIET

• Keep it colorful• More fruit and vegetables give you natural sugars instead of refined

sugars.

• Keep carbs at about 3/5 of your daily caloric intake.

• Keep all sugars to a minimum • Sugars cause your blood sugar to rise and more insulin is then needed.

•Watch your portion sizes

•Watch Glycemic Index (Tracking which carbohydrate foods increase blood sugar)

HOW TO MONITOR/CONTROL BLOOD SUGAR• Monitor blood sugar by:

• Pricking your finger in order to draw blood.

• Putting the blood onto the test strip.

• Blood Glucose Meter will calculate your blood glucose/sugar levels.

• You need to do this before and after meals, before bed, and when you wake up.

• Controlling It:

• Most Type 1 diabetics have an insulin pump which pumps insulin into your body, as needed, throughout the day.

• Some have insulin shots that they inject into their body when their blood sugar is high, and after meals.

• Diabetics usually take the amount of insulin needed after meals to balance out blood sugars.

MONITORING AND CONTROLLING CONTINUED…

• When blood sugar is low:

• Some Type 1 Diabetics take glucose tabs or eat foods high in sugars, or high in carbohydrates.

• If blood sugar gets too low, they could possibly go into a diabetic coma, and they need to be injected with an emergency glucagon shot to get their blood sugar up and bring them out of the coma.

• The shot is needed because, since they are in a coma, they cannot eat anything to get their blood sugar up.

LIFESTYLE AND EXERCISE• Exercise is vital for diabetics

• Exercise brings benefits to everyone, but it brings many more benefits to diabetics.

• Exercise increases insulin sensitivity, which means your body doesn’t need nearly as much insulin in order to process carbohydrates.

• It decreases risks for many diseases.

• Lifestyle Changes

• If it is diagnosed early, lifestyle changes won’t be as necessary, but you will still have to make changes that will be different from a typical lifestyle, like counting carbohydrates, calorie, and sugar intake.

• If it is diagnosed after you have already formed a typical eating habit (ages 7-15) you will have to cut out some of your typical sugary and high calorie foods and monitor them closely.

COMPLICATIONS THAT MAY OCCUR

• Like any disease, Type I Diabetes does have complications that may arise.

• Some complications include foot complications (like neuropathy), stroke, DKA & ketones, Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic Nonketotic Syndrome, high blood pressure, and gastroparesis.

• These complications can be treated with correct treatment and lifestyle changes that must be made when diagnosed with the disease.

HOW COMPLICATIONS AFFECT BODY SYSTEMS

• Neuropathy

• Affects the nervous system.

• Neuropathy is nerve damage that causes tingling, or weakness in the foot.

• Can be prevented by wearing diabetic shoes; if not treated and left alone for long enough, it can lead to amputation.

• High Blood Pressure

• Affects the Cardiovascular system.

• Blood pressure is the force of blood flow inside your blood vessels.

• When you have high blood pressure, your heart has to work harder; and the only treatment for HBP is lifestyle changes and exercise. If not treated, it can lead to heart attack and/or stroke.

• Ketoacidosis

• Affects the respiratory system.

• When your body breaks down fat for energy, producing ketones, the ketones make the blood acidic.

• Caused by low blood sugar, not enough insulin, and not enough food, but it can be prevented by checking your blood sugar and insulin regularly.

COMPLICATIONS CONTINUED…

• Gastroparesis

• Affects the digestive, immune, and cardiovascular system.

• Condition in which the stomach takes too long to empty its contents.

• Is caused by the Vagus’ nerve inability to work; can be treated by managing glucose levels as much as possible.

• Kidney Disease

• Affects the urinary system.

• Kidneys lose the ability to filter out waste products.

• Can be caused by high blood sugar since the kidneys have to filter too much blood, It can be prevented by keeping your blood pressure in the appropriate range.

FUTURE OF DIABETES

For Type I Diabetes there are many treatments like insulin shots, blood sugar meters, and insulin pumps.

With the advancements in medical sciences, I believe that it is time to start thinking about internal devices that could treat diabetes with the same effectiveness as today’s treatments, if not with more effectiveness.

INNOVATIONS FOR DIABETIC PRODUCTS

I think a device that could produce insulin on it’s own should be implemented into the pancreas.

• It would sense blood glucose levels.

• Then the device would produce certain islet cells that produce beta cells (insulin hormone).

• As these islet cells are being produced, ones that are already produced and have already produced the hormone, insulin, would be sent out into the blood stream to work as the natural insulin hormone would in the blood stream.

WHY THIS WOULD BE MORE EFFICIENT•Diabetics would not constantly have to check blood sugar

levels (they would still check them, in case the device stops working or the device produced too many beta cells).

•No hassle of making sure the pump is pumping enough insulin or carrying around insulin shots all day.

•Not as many finger pricks!

• With checking blood sugar less, comes less pricks where you had to draw blood before.

• This would be called an interior artificial islet cell producer

DOCUMENTATION OF SOURCES

American Diabetes Association. (nd). Diabetes Complications. [accessed 13 November 2015]. Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/

American Diabetes Association. (nd). Diabetes Meal Plans and a Healthy Diet. [accessed 13 November 2015]. Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/diabetes-meal-plans-and-a-healthy-diet.html

Smith-Marsh Daphne E., (June 10, 2014). Type 1 Diabetes and Exercise. EndocrineWeb. [accessed 12 November 2015]. Retrieved from http://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/type-1-diabetes/type-1-diabetes-exercise

American Diabetes Association. (nd). Gastroparesis. [accessed 13 November 2015]. Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/gastroparesis.html

American Diabetes Association. (nd). Kidney Disease (Nephropathy). [accessed 13 November 2015]. Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/kidney-disease-nephropathy.html

American Diabetes Association. (nd). Foot Complications. [accessed 13 November 2015]. Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/foot-complications/

American Diabetes Association. (nd). High Blood Pressure. [accessed 13 November 2015]. Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/high-blood-pressure-hypertension.html

American Diabetes Association. (nd).DKA (Ketoacidosis) & Ketones. [accessed 13 November 2015]. Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/ketoacidosis-dka.html