WHAT IS INSULIN?

    If your body doesn’t make insulin or doesn’t make enough, you are eventually diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. It used to be called juvenile diabetes, but new estimates show that as many as half of people with type 1 diabetes are not diagnosed until adulthood. On the other hand, if your body doesn’t use insulin properly, you have type 2 diabetes.

     While people with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin to survive, many people with type 2 are able to stave off insulin use or even avoid it altogether by exercising, losing weight, adapting healthier eating habits, or using other prescription medications.

   Many people with diabetes who use insulin self-administer it by injecting it with a syringe. The outside of the syringe is marked with lines denoting the amount of medication in the needle. There are different size syringes that you can choose from with the help of your doctor.

   Food, sleep, and exercise are all the vital importance for regulating your blood sugar when you have diabetes.

1.  Get enough sleep. Evidence shows that lack of sleep can lead to increased secretion of the hormone cortisol, which is inflammatory and can cause greater insulin resistance. Endocrinologist Al Powers MD of Vanderbilt University notes that when you’re deprived of sleep or your sleep is disrupted, your glucose levels tend to go up, whether you have diabetes or not.

2.   Exercise regularly. During exercise, insulin sensitivity is increased, and muscle cells use available insulin more efficiently. When your muscles contract during exercise, they also absorb glucose and use it for energy.

3.   Follow a diabetic-safe diet recommended by your doctor with limited carbohydrates, such as the DASH diet or the Mediterranean diet. Both have been shown to help stabilize blood sugar levels.

4.   What Severe Complications Can Occur Because of Rationing or Running Out of Insulin?

       Diabetic ketoacidosis is an emergency condition that results if you don’t have enough insulin to regulate your blood sugar. DKA causes your body to break down fat for energy in the absence of insulin. This leads to a dangerous accumulation of acids known as ketones in your blood that can cause your brain to swell and your body to go into shock.

     Signs of diabetic ketoacidosis include:

   •  Thirst or a very dry mouth.

   •  Frequent urination.

   •   High blood sugar levels.

   •   High levels of ketones in your urine.

   •   Fatigue.

   •   Dry or flushed skin.

   •   Nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain.

   •   Difficulty breathing.

      What is an insulin resistance diet?

         An insulin resistance diet incorporates foods that will help maintain your body’s balance of insulin and blood sugar. Think nourishing calories from veggies, fruit, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

      

   • Insulin Fast Facts

     •  Insulin Fast Facts:

       7.4 million people in the US use insulin.

     • 60% of people with Type 1 diabetes use an insulin pump.

     •  A single box of insulin can cost $400 without insurance.

     •  Inability to afford insulin is the main cause of diabetic ketoacidosis.

     •  When to contact a doctor 

           Anyone who frequently experiences hyperglycemic or hypoglycemic events should contact their doctor as soon as possible. Additionally, those having difficulty with their insulin routines should also reach out to their diabetes healthcare team.

           A doctor can advise how to manage blood sugars and suggest different routines suitable for an individual with diabetes.