Type 1 diabetes is a chronic condition and so far no cures has been found for it. However, people with type 1 diabetes can still live healthy long life by balancing medications, exercise, and nutrition. Living with Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong journey that demands vigilance, resilience, and adaptability.
T1D is not caused by lifestyle, however once you have type 1 diabetes, your life style plays a major role in managing it.
Daily Management and Routine
At the core of living with Type 1 diabetes is constant blood glucose management. Type 1 is an autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. As pancreas is not producing insulin to keep blood glucose levels in check, individuals must check their blood sugar levels multiple times a day using finger pricks or continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). Based on these readings, they inject insulin or use an insulin pump to regulate their levels. Every meal, snack, or physical activity requires careful planning.
Food
There are no foods T1D people cannot eat, however moderation is key. Make sure to include all the required nutrients. Normal recommendation is to keep the ration of Vegetable+ Fruits as half of your plate and the other half to be grains (whole grains) + protein.
Whatever food you eat, it is important to adjust your insulin dose accordingly. You need to count the amount of carbohydrates in your food and adjust your insulin intake accordingly (without T1D your pancreas does this job and make required amount of insulin)
Daily diabetic kit
Always carry your diabetic kit when you are on the move. The kit should include the following
- Glucometer – The device for testing your blood sugar level at any time.
- Lancets – Small needles that is used to prick your skin for blood sample.
- Test Strips – Strips used in glucometer to test the blood glucose levels.
- Insulin – Depending on whether you are using insulin pump or pens carry enough supply to last at least 3 days of required insulin. Include short as well as long acting insulin. Insulin needs to be stored in recommended temperature to ensure its effectiveness until expiry date.
- Pen needles – Always carry extra needles for the pans. If you are using insulin pump carry emergency needles and vials or emergency pen to be used in case of failure.
- Glucagon emergency kit – Injectable or nasal glucagon to be used in case of sever hypoglycemia.
- Alcohol Swabs – To clean skin before pricking for testing or taking Insulin injection
- Hard Candy/Glucose tabs or other fast acting carbos – It may often happen that the sugar level goes low due to various factors, always keep some glucose tabs, juice or other fast acting sugary products to quickly recharge the blood sugar levels.
Emotional and Psychological Impact
Beyond the physical demands, the emotional toll of Type 1 diabetes is profound. The need for constant monitoring can lead to “diabetes burnout,” a state of fatigue and frustration that arises from the unrelenting responsibilities of the condition. Anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation are common, particularly because the condition is largely invisible to others. Social situations, such as dining out or traveling, can become sources of stress.
Many people with Type 1 diabetes also carry the emotional burden of fear—fear of long-term complications like neuropathy, vision loss, kidney failure, or cardiovascular disease. They must also be prepared for sudden medical emergencies, such as severe hypoglycemia, which can be life-threatening if not treated quickly.
Stress is a part of normal life for everyone and countering stress is all part of the human experience. But for Type1 it is more complicated. When body senses a threat, it releases stress hormones as part of normal body function to get the body ready to fight (or flee) the threat. These hormones trigger liver to produce extra energy (glucose). For T1D persons, this extra glucose accumulates in blood because of lack of insulin creating a state known as Hyperglycemia.