Tuesday, November 9, 2010

D-Blog Day: 6 things people should know about Diabetes

What is D-Blog day, you might ask?
D-Blog Day was started back in Diabetes Awareness Month 2005 by Gina Capone. Its focus is “to help unite diabetes bloggers and create awareness about diabetes.”

This years topic is: 6 things you want people to know about diabetes.

ONE: Your Diabetes May Vary. (thank you for the phrasing!)
Every diabetic, whether they are type 1 or type 2, will have some things that are similar. Everyone with diabetes needs to watch what they eat and get enough exercise. Some type 2’s take insulin. Some type 1’s take the same oral meds that type 2’s take. But EVERYONE’s diabetes will vary, sometimes greatly, from others. I can eat a bagel and not even think twice about it, but even a small slice of pizza kicks my diabetes butt. Other people can eat tons of pizza but fall over at the thought of a bagel.

TWO: Food is not just food anymore.
Paying attention to what you eat is an important part of diabetes management. Its not as simple as “don’t eat sugar”. All diabetics should pay attention and eat healthy. Some may count carbs, others may use an exchange program, some use who knows what else. If you are taking insulin as part of your diabetes medication, you probably have to calculate and do math for everything you put into your mouth. You CAN eat sugar, you just have to think about it first!

THREE: Diabetes is for life.
Once you have diabetes, you have it forever. For a type 2, this is important because while you might be able to completely lose your symptoms by eating well and exercising, you will always have diabetes. You might be able to hold off those symptoms for a very long time, and you might be able to have normal blood sugars, but you will always be a diabetic.

FOUR: Insulin doesn’t make your diabetes “worse” than someone else’s.
Insulin is a medication used to treat diabetes. Some people use it, some people don’t. Some people REQUIRE it. But that doesn’t mean their diabetes is worse.

FIVE: Moods may swing along with your blood sugar
Me, I get super cranky when I’m low. Other people have mentioned being depressed when they’re low, and cranky when they’re high. I think its important for people to know that if you’re acting like a jerk, or an idiot, or sarcastic, or moody, there might be a reason for it, and to chill out until you can fix it!

SIX: If you have diabetes…. You can do it!
While being diagnosed with diabetes can be very very very overwhelming at first, it DOES get easier! You will learn how to do all the stuff you’ve been told to do, whether that’s taking insulin injections, counting carbs, starting an exercise program… whatever… you will get used to it, and it will become easier to deal with, even if it will always be a pain in the butt.

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