How to Manage - T1D
Every day is different. There isn't a magic diet that will keep your blood sugar in range. What works today, may not work tomorrow.
Here are some of the strategies that work for me (DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional, these strategies have been discussed and supported by my diabetes management team. These strategies should not replace advice from your health care professional(s)):
Give yourself a break - stop striving for perfection. An A1C of 5% may not be ideal for you. Don't beat yourself up when having a bad day with diabetes. Let that bad day motivate you for the next day to try again.
Check blood sugar regularly - whether you manually check, or use a CGM, it's important to see your numbers to gain a tighter control.
Take insulin at least 15 minutes before meals - I am always working on this one. Sometimes I don't realize I haven't taken my insulin while i'm serving dinner to my family. I will at times, sit at the table and converse with my family as I wait the 15 minutes, and sometimes I just eat after injecting insulin. Unfortunately, this usually causes spikes in my blood sugar. It's always a work in progress.
Exercise daily - whether it's a walk, full blown workout, or yoga, exercise is an important part in diabetes management. It can help increase your insulin sensitivity!
Take note of how different foods affect blood sugar - for me, foods like potatoes and pizza tend to have a delayed spike, so I am often correcting
Drink lots of water - water is important in digestion and insulin sensitivity
Get at least 7.5 hours of sleep a night - sleep is so important. Your body needs rest.
Don't eat after 7 pm (unless I have a low) - I find that snacking at night causes a lot of overnight highs for me. To curb my evening eating, I've started eating dinner at 6pm to feel fuller, longer.
Don't skip meals! - Diabetics need to eat. I find when I am not eating regularly, my blood sugar is harder to manage and I have more spikes.
Have a good support system - I am still working on this, to be honest. It's really difficult to try and navigate this diagnosis, learn all that you need to learn, and teach those around you about what is going on and to ask for the support you need. I have regular counselling appointments and speak with a diabetes specific counsellor. Mine is amazing! She's given me alot of great resources and tools to help work through some of the obstacles i've had to get through.
One of the greatest things i've come to realize is, is the sooner you come to accept diabetes, the sooner you can start living your best diabetic life.
Thank you for reading my post, if you are looking for some T1D coaching, reach out! I want you to live your best diabetic life.
