A smart guide to understanding Type 1 diabetes

Refinements in the care of this serious, lifelong disease have improved — from the development of new forms of medication to insulin pumps that continuously measure your blood sugar. Managing this complex condition is easier now than ever before.

A healthy pancreas contains cells that produce insulin, a hormone that transports a form of sugar called glucose from the bloodstream into all your cells. It’s an important job: sugar is the body’s fuel.

• When you develop Type 1 diabetes, however, your immune system gets confused and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
• Because the insulin supply then dwindles, your cells are deprived of sugar, which builds up instead in your bloodstream. Your body then tries to get rid of this excess glucose through its normal filtration system, namely your kidneys.
• As a result of this process, you can feel weak and hungry, need to urinate frequently and be intensely thirsty. And if you don't drink a lot of water, you may even get dehydrated.

Such high blood sugar, known as hyperglycemia, can lead to serious health problems.

• Blood vessels and nerves can become damaged, leading to kidney failure, blindness, heart disease and other complications.
• In fact, diabetes is one of the leading causes of death and disability in Canada.
• There are three variations: Type 1, once known as "juvenile-onset" diabetes, usually appears abruptly before age 30 and accounts for about 10 percent of all cases. Most people have Type 2, or "adult-onset" diabetes. The third form, gestational diabetes, develops only during pregnancy.

• Daily insulin injections to replace the hormone no longer produced naturally.
• Careful glucose testing to monitor blood sugar levels.
• A special diabetes diet tailored to you, and regular exercise for general health and improved blood sugar control.

• Wear medical identification (a bracelet or medallion) saying you have diabetes. If you're unconscious in an emergency, a medical team will need this information.
• Get a good health-care team. Count on seeing your doctors, nurses and dietitians on a regular basis, as often as every one to three months. Ask if your local hospital has a diabetic unit with an endocrinologist and support team.
• Make a smart plan. Educate yourself about the disease — and let others help you devise a strategy for dealing with glucose testing, insulin shots, exercise and diet.
• Overwhelmed? Start by visiting an outpatient diabetes clinic every day until you and your family feel confident and comfortable with the process. What now seems so new (and maybe frightening) will soon become second nature and little more than a minor inconvenience.
• Improve the accuracy of your home glucose monitor by taking these simple measures. Keep the monitor clean. Test it once a month. Recalibrate it whenever starting a new packet of strips. Use fresh strips. Periodically, compare results with those from a laboratory.
• Take care if you get sick. You're especially susceptible to diabetic ketoacidosis if you develop the flu or a urinary tract infection. Never stop your insulin during an illness, but check your blood sugar regularly. Check your urine for ketones every six hours, and let your doctor know immediately if your condition worsens.

• The Canadian Diabetes Asso­ciation maintains a very pro­active website with research, drug information, clinical ­trials, tips on managing your disease and a wealth of other information at www.diabetes.ca. Their toll-free phone number is 1-800-BANTING (226-8464).

Keep this guide in mind and control your Type 1 diabetes with healthy choices. For more information and treatment options, be sure to contact your doctor.