Nuts & Bolts
What is Type 1 Diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes is a condition where a person's body stops producing insulin. Insulin is a hormone (produced in the pancreas) that helps the body to convert the glucose from the food we eat into energy. Insulin acts like a 'key' that unlocks the muscles to let the glucose get to where it needs to go to give us energy. When a person's body stops producing insulin, the glucose stays in their blood stream, which causes the blood sugar levels to rise which then causes them to become sick.
Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes
When blood sugar levels rise, the body tries to 'flush' the glucose out through the kidneys. This causes frequent urination and dehydration. So the first warning signs that you have diabetes are usually going to the toilet a lot, and feeling very thirsty.
Because the body cannot use the glucose for energy, it breaks down fat and muscle to produce energy. So when a person begins to develop diabetes they will often lose weight and feel very tired. When the fats break down to produce energy they also produce chemicals called Ketones. Ketones build up in the blood and cause nausea and vomiting. When this occurs, this is called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). When a person has DKA they need to go to the hospital for medical treatment. For more information on the symptoms of diabetes and DKA click here.
Managing Type 1 Diabetes
Managing Type 1 Diabetes is all about maintaining steady blood sugars. First you need to replace the insulin that the body is no longer able to make, by injecting insulin either by needles or via a continuous delivery insulin pump. However marinating steady blood sugars also involves a tricky balancing act between the things that bring your blood sugars down (such as the insulin that you inject and the exercise that you do) and the things that raise your blood sugars (such as the food that you eat and stress). Keeping blood sugars on an even keel can be a full time job involving regular monitoring of blood sugar levels by finger-prick blood glucose testing, and maintaining a healthy balanced diet. For more information on living with diabetes click here.
