My Health Part 1: Type 1 Diabetes
- nicholsnutritionpr
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 12 years old and exactly 1 week before starting 7th grade. The symptoms showed up gradually. Symptoms were chalked up to going from an hour of dance class a week to several hours a week all at once. What were those symptoms? Weight loss, constantly hungry and thirsty and tired all the time. I could eat anything and everything and still be hungry and still losing weight. Long story short, it was type 1 diabetes.
My parents made sure that type 1 diabetes never held me back. As an active kid, they never said I couldn’t try something because of my diabetes. It was always, let’s figure it out. When I was diagnosed, insulin pumps and insulins like Humolog and Novolog weren’t prescribed right away. These insulins generally work within about 10-20 minutes of taking them- meaning that’s how long you must wait to eat to help prevent a big blood sugar spike. When I was diagnosed you were put on N and R insulin that required to be given at specific times followed by eating a set amount of carbs in a certain time frame along with checking your blood sugar multiple times a day. The use of these faster acting insulins, insulin pumps and insulin pens have helped make managing type 1 diabetes so much easier (to some extent).
I went on my first insulin pump a year after I was diagnosed and Humalog insulin. It was life changing. There was so much more freedom with when and what I could eat. Now a days, the insulins are faster working, the insulin pumps are smarter and CGMs track blood sugar constantly. Technology is helping take out a lot of the guess work when managing such a complex disease and making exercise much easier to maintain (even though there’s still a lot of struggles!).
To say having type 1 diabetes is a lot is an understatement. Add in any physical activity and it becomes quite the balancing act of snacks, insulin and exercise. Exercise lowers blood sugar levels and carbs rise sugar levels while insulin is also lowering blood sugar. Finding the right amount of insulin and snacks when working out has been a lot of trial and error over the years. It’s complicated and hard, but worth it. Moving and working out is still important and is totally possible while living with such a difficult disease. I’ve managed type 1 diabetes while training in ballet, marching band, skiing and snowboarding. Half marathons, Crossfit, weightlifting and so much more.
It is possible to lose weight and have muscles with type 1 diabetes and take insulin. Insulin has gotten quite a bad rap over the past few years. It’s like everything else. You don’t want too much, and you don’t want too little. The body needs insulin. It doesn’t just lower blood sugar but helps other processes in the body to take place. Before you start a no-carb diet because you’re afraid of raising your insulin levels- do some research on what’s happening. You need carbs and you need insulin for your body to work and run appropriately and efficiently. I’m not saying don’t watch your diet. You should watch what you eat and do your best to make smart healthy choices and enjoy the bad food too in moderation! See the Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic articles below for why the body needs carbs and insulin.
I encourage you to look up the signs and symptoms of type 1 diabetes and learn more at the below websites. I’m always open to questions if you have them so don’t be afraid to reach out!
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