Your body changes most of the food you eat into a form of sugar (also called glucose). Insulin is a hormone that allows this sugar to enter all the cells of your body and be used as energy. A person who has type 1 diabetes can't make insulin. Without insulin, sugar builds up in the blood and can damage internal organs, the nervous system and blood vessels.
Type 1 diabetes is also called insulin-dependent diabetes. It is sometimes called juvenile diabetes because it is usually discovered in children and teenagers, but adults may also have it.
Type 1 Diabetes Causes
Type 1 Diabetes usually develops due to an autoimmune disorder. This is when the body's immune system behaves inappropriately and starts seeing one of it's own tissues as foreign. In the case of Type 1 Diabetes, the islet cells of the pancreas that produce insulin are seen as the "enemy" by mistake. The body then creates antibodies to fight the "foreign" tissue and destroys the islet cells ability to produce insulin. The lack of sufficient insulin thereby results in diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms
* Increased thirst
* Increased urination
* Weight loss despite increased appetite
* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Abdominal pain
* Fatigue
* Absence of menstruation
Type 1 Diabetes Treatment
Type 1 diabetes can be detected with a blood test to measure the level of glucose in the blood. This might be a fasting glucose test, which is taken after fasting for at least eight hours, or a random glucose test, which can be carried out at any time. You may have another type of blood sugar test called a glucose tolerance test. This measures how your blood sugar changes over time after you swallow a sugary drink. You need to fast overnight before having this test.
Type 1 Diabetes Diet
Meal planning for type 1 diabetes requires consistency to allow food and insulin to work together to regulate blood glucose levels. If meals and insulin are out of balance, extreme variations in blood glucose can occur.
The American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association has information for planning healthy, balanced meals. A consultation with a registered dietitian or nutrition counselor can be helpful.
Healthy eating
Contrary to popular perception, there's no diabetes diet. You won't be restricted to a lifetime of boring, bland foods. Instead, you'll need plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains — foods that are high in nutrition and low in fat and calories — and fewer animal products and sweets. In fact, it's the best eating plan for the entire family. Even sugary foods are OK once in a while, as long as they're included in your meal plan.
Type 1 Diabetes Insulin
Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes share one central feature: elevated blood sugar ( glucose ) levels due to absolute or relative insufficiencies of insulin , a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin is a key regulator of the body's metabolism.
Living With Type 1 Diabetes
Children and teens with diabetes need to monitor and control their glucose levels. They need to:
* check blood sugar levels a few times a day by testing a small blood sample
* give themselves insulin injections, have an adult give them injections, or use an insulin pump
* eat a balanced, healthy diet and pay special attention to the amounts of sugars and starches in the food they eat and the timing of their meals
* get regular exercise to help control blood sugar levels and help avoid some of the long-term health problems that diabetes can cause, like heart disease
