About Diabetes

Lesson 1: What is Type 1?

Lesson 2: Insulin

Insulin is the medicine naturally made by the pancreas in people without diabetes. People with diabetes must inject insulin to stay healthy. Insulin is what lowers your blood sugar. You must be extremely careful when injecting insulin – it must always be the correct type and the correct amount of insulin. Injecting insulin is not always a perfect science. Even if you try your best your numbers may not always be perfect. That is ok. The relationships between carbohydrate intake, physical activity, stress, and insulin is ever-changing and is very complex. They all affect insulin and blood sugars.

Lesson 3: Nutrition

It is important to know how to properly manage diabetes with all different types of food and how to stay healthy by eating and exercising correctly. People with diabetes can eat what they want and stay active as long as they take care of their diabetes appropriately. Please note that Type 1 Diabetes can’t be controlled with only diet, but it can help improve diabetes. You must be knowledgeable of the different carbohydrates in foods so you can give insulin accordingly. Food can still be delicious and enjoyable when you have diabetes! It is also a major factor in whether or not you are healthy or unhealthy and if your diabetes is managed or uncontrolled. You must have a balanced diet, understand what is in the food you eat, and eat correctly to stay healthy with diabetes. If you eat right and exercise correctly, your diabetes will be in better control and you will feel great.

Lesson 4: Diabetes and Workouts

Lesson 5: Diabetes and Social Challenges

It is normal to feel upset about having diabetes and everything you have to do to stay healthy. It is normal to ask yourself, “Why me?” or “Why can’t I just forget about this?”. Everyone with diabetes has felt this way at some point! Turn to each other for support and advice. Remember that everyone has something they have to do in life to stay healthy. Sometimes, people with diabetes may have to do more than average, but if everyone helps each other and stays positive, you can stay healthy and happy! If you make sure to take care of your mental health with things like exercise, meditation, spending time with family or friends, enjoying a hobby that you have, sleeping and eating well, and staying positive, you will have a much better attitude. If you find yourself feeling depressed or anxious, even if you have tried all of these methods to stay happy and healthy, talk to a trusted friend, parent, family member, or doctor. It is ok to not feel ok. But, there are ways to help yourself.