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How do you cope with diabetes type 2 or 1?

Jane_Doe

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You got to do 3 things--
1) Get on a low carb diet. <60 carbs a meal, 3 meals a day.
2) Exercise and get down to a healthy weight
3) Be diligent in seeing the doctor and taking proscribed medication.

When my husband was diagnosed, we were required to take a "living with diabetes" class at the local hospital. It was helpful.
 
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Humble me Lord

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My wife has type 2, and manages it on her own. She refused to go on insulin, she witnessed what it did to her other family members with it. She does well with a low carb diet and lots of exercise. Her A1C tests prove that you can manage it if you are very diligent.
 
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jsimms615

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There are big differences between type 1 and type 2. Type 2 is about insulin resistance where as Type 1 means the pancreas does not produce insulin on its own anymore. So, while diet is important in both cases, in type 1 it is important to also dose the appropriate amount of insulin to cover foods that you eat and also have appropriate levels of a long term insulin to help the body maintain its sugar levels. Exercise also can help in both cases
 
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BryanJohnMaloney

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My wife has type 2, and manages it on her own. She refused to go on insulin, she witnessed what it did to her other family members with it. She does well with a low carb diet and lots of exercise. Her A1C tests prove that you can manage it if you are very diligent.

Insulin is never the first choice of treatment for type 2 diabetes, in any case. She shouldn't have had to have "refused".
 
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Martinius

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Are their ways to do it and what do you eat?
The first is a very broad question, since there are two types of diabetes and many ways to control it, through oral meds, injections, insulin, diet, etc.

For what to eat, there are many reputable websites. Start with the ADA, or other association like that. If you are talking about type 2, see a dietician and/or a diabetic educator (usually a nurse with added training and credentials). For type 1, you should have an endocrinologist, not just a PCP, and definitely be using a dietician to come up with meal plans.
 
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toocoolblue

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1. Get a Blood Glucose Monitor. (Dexcom or Freestyle Libre2)
2. Journal. Write down everything.
Date, Time, Glucose Level, Insulin amount injected, site of injection. (you must move that around)
then
Date, Time, Food type, Total Carbs.

Soon it will become apparent what you can and can't eat. Inject 15 minutes before you eat, so the insulin and the food will best cancel each other out. Constantly check your feet and legs.

That's about it.
 
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Hazelelponi

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Are their ways to do it and what do you eat?

I think it likely depends on what type of diabetes you have, and how severe it might be, plus your age.

I'm not diabetic, but my daughter was a type 1 diabetic. She had to check her blood sugar 5 times a day on average, and 4 shots a day. (she used both long acting and fast acting insulin).

Her fight was keeping weight on while managing her blood sugar. For her she had a problem being underweight. The doctors wanted her to weigh 110 lbs, but she usually hovered right around 100lbs. 105 was her highest weight but it was so difficult keeping her there.

I think type 2 are usually overweight and have to lose the extra weight.

In both types you are eating for your blood sugar. You are allowed x amount of carbs, fats and proteins a day (your choice how you eat so long as you stay inside the correct amount)

My daughter ate 6 times a day, 3 meals and 3 snacks so she always had some fuel going into her tank and it helped keep her blood sugar a tiny bit more constant.

Of course she needed filler food as well, food that gave bulk but low in calories. You can get that with things like jello, vegetables, rice cakes etc.

When buying jello or anything sugar free, just because it's sugar free doesn't mean it's good for you. You have to pay attention to sugar alcohol (that's bad for diabetics) and limit that the same as you limit carbs - and according to her doctors it's worse than real sugar.

Once you get used to the diet the doctors and nutritionists put you on, it's just life. No big deal, you just pay more attention to food and exercise than most people. My daughter was a cheerleader as well as on the basketball team in school.. so while too much exercise can cause a diabetic to crash, with good management you can live a normal life, like everyone else.

She ate birthday cake and such on occasions such as a birthday party etc.. you just have to plan around it, and for it.
 
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kdm1984

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I've had type one since I was a little girl (1995). My son now has PKU, a metabolic disorder where he cannot process a specific amino acid (phenylalanine) in protein properly, so I can model dietary adherence and self-control for him.

To manage my type one, I monitor my sugar carefully. I still get sick from highs and lows, so I try to avoid them! As far as food, I can technically eat anything so long as I give myself enough insulin, but I like to aim for foods that have less of a pronounced effect on my blood sugar. I like a variety of foods, and enjoy many vegetables, so it's not much of an issue. I lost my sweet tooth when I was a teenager and haven't had a cavity since. My A1C is also almost always below 7, and in the rare times it's over 7, it's only barely so.
 
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Freth

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I was diagnosed with type 2 in 2018, at the age of 47. My doctor put me on medication immediately, and set up an appointment with a nutritionist to go over the specifics of what I needed to change. I went vegetarian, maintained a proper diet, and exercised 30 minutes/5 times a week. My next blood test showed normal numbers, but my doctor kept me on the meds for several months before giving me the okay to stop taking them. I lost weight because of the exercise, which was something I struggled with my whole life.

After learning how to manage it with proper diet and exercise, and removing most of the sugar from my diet (I eat fruit only), I have been able to stay normal and off medication. I would say controlling carbs, portions and sugar, combined with exercise, are key.
 
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JesseBassett

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What I do is 1.) Eat healthy 2.) Eat less 3.) Use a drug called Ozempic so it surpresses my appetite and helps me loose weight (I've lost ten+ pounds so far!!) and 4.) Drink diet sodas as opposed to the regular kind. 5.) I am also on the dexcom g6 system.
 
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