When you or someone you love has been diagnosed with diabetes, it’s completely normal to feel scared, shocked, angry, overwhelmed… or all of the above. These are normal emotions which most people experience, and can affect the entire family and those around you. The good news is that through educating yourself about this disease, you can live a long and healthy life by keeping your blood glucose levels (this is the amount of sugar that is in your blood) within the target range.
What is Diabetes?
There are a number of different types of diabetes, which we will discuss below:
- Type 1 Diabetes – Type 1 is usually diagnosed in children and adolescents. This type of diabetes occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce insulin, which is a hormone that controls the amount of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Approximately 10% of people with diabetes have this type.
- Type 2 Diabetes – Type 2, which is sometimes called mature onset diabetes, is the most common form of diabetes, and affects nearly 17 million Americans. Even more staggering is that it is estimated that over 100 million people around the world have it. This type is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, and it’s believed that only half of the 17 million Americans with Type 2 diabetes know they have it. This type of diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body doesn’t effectively use the insulin that is produced. Approximately 90% of people with diabetes have this type.
- Gestational Diabetes – This is a temporary type of diabetes which only occurs during pregnancy, and affects approximately 2% – 4% of all pregnancies. This type involves an increased risk of developing diabetes for both mother and child.
- Prediabetes – This condition refers to people who’s blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. People commonly refer to this condition as boarder-line diabetic.
Food is NOT your enemy!
It’s very important that you understand that consuming high sugar foods is very dangerous however also understand that food is not your enemy. There are many, many alternatives available today that makes living with diabetes much easier. Yes it’s true! You can manage your diabetes and eat your cake too!
Years ago, diabetics were told that they had to avoid sugar all-together, but this is no longer the case. Through science and research studies, we have learned that not just sugar, but all kinds of other foods affect blood glucose levels. We’ve also learned how to manage our glucose levels, and how precise insulin dosing lets you correct for highs and lows, before and after meals.
“There’s no food you can’t have because you have diabetes,” says Christine McKinney, M.S., a diabetes educator at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.
Through correct meal planning, blood glucose testing, and insulin dosing, you are free to live a happy and health life. Speak to your doctor about how you can do this.
