Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease in which the pancreas does not produce any insulin. Insulin is an important hormone that helps your body to control the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood.
Roughly 10 per cent of people living with diabetes have type 1, insulin-dependent diabetes. Type 1 diabetes generally develops in childhood or adolescence, but can also develop in adulthood. People with type 1 need to inject insulin or use an insulin pump to ensure their bodies have the right amount of insulin.
How 2 Type 1
Do you live with type 1 diabetes? Do you care for someone who does? Whether you've been recently diagnosed or living with the disease for years, How 2 Type 1 is for you. This video, developed in partnership with the Diabetes Leadership Foundation, aims to provide support, knowledge, expert advice, and actionable steps to help you and others in the type 1 diabetes community thrive!
00:03
If you’ve recently been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, or if you’ve had it for a while
00:08
and want to step up your management, or if someone you care about has Type 1 diabetes
00:12
-- a friend, or family, or a friend who’s become family -- then this series is for you.
00:16
This series is for me, too.
00:18
I'm Conrad Pow.
00:19
I'm a Senior Project Manager at Diabetes Action Canada.
00:23
My daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was four years old, so -- as you
00:25
might imagine -- there has been a lot of worry, and learning, and work.
00:27
These videos would've helped my family a lot.
00:33
Type 1 diabetes is a condition where your immune system attacks your pancreatic cells,
00:38
so they can't make the insulin needed to regulate your blood sugar automatically.
00:43
It can feel like your body has betrayed you, which it kind of has.
00:46
And that can feel isolating, defeating, and like you're broken.
00:50
But the thing about humans is: we're incredibly resilient.
00:54
Things break all the time, like when you drop your cell phone in the toilet.
00:59
There's that moment of panic, or sadness, or rage, like, "ugh, my phone is dead and
01:04
I have to find a way to let everyone know, but that's embarrassing, and also somehow
01:07
I have to find the time and money to buy a new one!?"
01:09
All those feelings can seem overwhelming in the moment.
01:12
And, in a similar way, living with Type 1 diabetes may have overwhelming moments or
01:18
days or weeks.
01:20
That's normal.
01:21
But, like I said, humans are resilient.
01:25
Managing Type 1 means gathering tools to help your body, practicing skills, and getting
01:30
better at dealing with the hard stuff that comes your way.
01:33
Type 1 diabetes doesn’t need to hold anyone back from living a full and healthy life.
01:40
In this bite-sized video series, we’ll help you solve the most common problems related
01:44
to diabetes, and learn how diabetes, insulin, food, and activity all work together.
01:50
We'll also share guidelines to help you customize your treatment to different situations and
01:56
live the life you want -- whether that involves running marathons, reading on the couch with
02:01
your dog, or becoming a locally famous foodie.
02:05
We're not here to judge your dreams.
02:06
We're here to encourage them, and help you reduce any unwelcome diabetes-related surprises.
02:12
This series will also help you set and reach your own goals by understanding exactly how
02:13
your body works with diabetes.
02:14
Remember, though: the goal isn’t perfection.
02:15
One small change each week or each month can make a huge difference in your life.
02:16
Most importantly, there are so many other people with Type 1 who are somewhere along
02:17
their journeys.
02:18
That's where all this information comes from: collective scientific study, collective mistakes,
02:19
and collective hope of making it easier for current and future Type 1s to deal with this
02:20
major life shift.
02:21
Now, let’s go.
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Accept You Have Diabetes 00:10 Accepting that you have diabetes is often the most difficult hurdle to overcome. The more you fight 00:15 it, the more everything feels like a struggle. The more you embrace it, the easier it is to live your 00:22 life. I know, easy to say -- hard to do. But the most important part is a shift in perspective. 00:29 In frustration, you might think of Type 1 diabetes as a monster inside of you that you have to slay. 00:36 Instead, try to think of it as something to be managed with skills that are learned, practiced, 00:42 and eventually mastered. Living a healthy and full life with diabetes is achievable. 00:50 Mindfulness is a great tool that can help get you started on the path to acceptance. Lots of 00:55 healthcare professionals recommend mindfulness – and not just for diabetes patients. The goal is to 01:02 be more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and body through a judgment-free lens. Mindfulness can keep 01:09 you from dwelling on negative feelings, which leaves more energy to focus on how to improve. 01:15 You can try mindfulness out with guided meditations on YouTube, 01:19 or apps like Calm and Headspace. It'll probably be tough at first! Nowadays, 01:21 it's so easy to put on music or Netflix in the background, so just sitting with 01:21 your thoughts can be challenging. But I promise, it's worth it. Even a little 01:22 mindfulness practice can be very powerful in starting to accept your diabetes. 01:28 Check Your Blood Sugar 01:30 Having Type 1 diabetes means that your body no longer regulates your blood sugar level. 01:36 It's on you to actively check your blood glucose and respond to it. 01:43 No matter how long you’ve had diabetes, here's our biggest piece of advice: try not to worry 01:49 about getting perfect blood sugar numbers. In fact, the number you see when you check can 01:54 never be "perfect," because it isn't inherently good, bad, or a measure of your self-worth! 02:00 Checking blood glucose levels can help you learn how many things affect your blood sugar, 02:02 and get data to decide what you can or should do next. In some ways, managing diabetes is 02:07 like getting haircuts or picking clothes. You need to know your body well so you make choices 02:13 that help you feel good in it -- whether that's bright pink hair or chunky sneakers. 02:19 And just like we've all had regrettable fashion choices, no-one gets diabetes “right’ all of the 02:24 time. Checking blood sugar is a learning process, and every skill takes time to acquire. 02:28 Make checking blood glucose levels a habit. By doing it regularly before meals and at key 02:33 times it will become second nature. You’ll then always have up-to-date information about your body 02:39 and be more in control. Specifically, you'll start to notice how different factors 02:44 affect blood sugar levels, like eating a ham sandwich compared to eating a hot fudge sundae. 02:50 Take Your Insulin 02:52 The most important part of managing Type 1 diabetes is making sure you’re taking your 02:57 insulin consistently. This is the only way your body can lower blood sugar since your pancreas 03:04 isn’t making it! As taking insulin becomes a habit, you won’t think twice about doing it. 03:11 As with checking blood sugar, it’s totally normal to worry about your numbers. 03:15 If you feel nervous about going too low, take a smaller dose of insulin. 03:20 You can always correct later. Don’t forget the golden rule: safety first. 03:22 Diabetes may initially feel like a huge weight, 03:25 but it's only a small part of you and can be managed. 03:29 One day at a time, you’ll understand your body better. And before you know it, you’ll be a pro! 03:35 Accepting that you have diabetes, checking your blood sugar, 03:39 and getting skilled with taking insulin will build the foundation for a full and healthy life, 03:45 if this seems like a lot, but feel free to pick two to start with, as long as one is taking your insulin. |
Accept You Have Diabetes 00:10 Accepting that you have diabetes is often the most difficult hurdle to overcome. The more you fight 00:15 it, the more everything feels like a struggle. The more you embrace it, the easier it is to live your 00:22 life. I know, easy to say -- hard to do. But the most important part is a shift in perspective. 00:29 In frustration, you might think of Type 1 diabetes as a monster inside of you that you have to slay. 00:36 Instead, try to think of it as something to be managed with skills that are learned, practiced, 00:42 and eventually mastered. Living a healthy and full life with diabetes is achievable. 00:50 Mindfulness is a great tool that can help get you started on the path to acceptance. Lots of 00:55 healthcare professionals recommend mindfulness – and not just for diabetes patients. The goal is to 01:02 be more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and body through a judgment-free lens. Mindfulness can keep 01:09 you from dwelling on negative feelings, which leaves more energy to focus on how to improve. 01:15 You can try mindfulness out with guided meditations on YouTube, 01:19 or apps like Calm and Headspace. It'll probably be tough at first! Nowadays, 01:21 it's so easy to put on music or Netflix in the background, so just sitting with 01:21 your thoughts can be challenging. But I promise, it's worth it. Even a little 01:22 mindfulness practice can be very powerful in starting to accept your diabetes. 01:28 Check Your Blood Sugar 01:30 Having Type 1 diabetes means that your body no longer regulates your blood sugar level. 01:36 It's on you to actively check your blood glucose and respond to it. 01:43 No matter how long you’ve had diabetes, here's our biggest piece of advice: try not to worry 01:49 about getting perfect blood sugar numbers. In fact, the number you see when you check can 01:54 never be "perfect," because it isn't inherently good, bad, or a measure of your self-worth! 02:00 Checking blood glucose levels can help you learn how many things affect your blood sugar, 02:02 and get data to decide what you can or should do next. In some ways, managing diabetes is 02:07 like getting haircuts or picking clothes. You need to know your body well so you make choices 02:13 that help you feel good in it -- whether that's bright pink hair or chunky sneakers. 02:19 And just like we've all had regrettable fashion choices, no-one gets diabetes “right’ all of the 02:24 time. Checking blood sugar is a learning process, and every skill takes time to acquire. 02:28 Make checking blood glucose levels a habit. By doing it regularly before meals and at key 02:33 times it will become second nature. You’ll then always have up-to-date information about your body 02:39 and be more in control. Specifically, you'll start to notice how different factors 02:44 affect blood sugar levels, like eating a ham sandwich compared to eating a hot fudge sundae. 02:50 Take Your Insulin 02:52 The most important part of managing Type 1 diabetes is making sure you’re taking your 02:57 insulin consistently. This is the only way your body can lower blood sugar since your pancreas 03:04 isn’t making it! As taking insulin becomes a habit, you won’t think twice about doing it. 03:11 As with checking blood sugar, it’s totally normal to worry about your numbers. 03:15 If you feel nervous about going too low, take a smaller dose of insulin. 03:20 You can always correct later. Don’t forget the golden rule: safety first. 03:22 Diabetes may initially feel like a huge weight, 03:25 but it's only a small part of you and can be managed. 03:29 One day at a time, you’ll understand your body better. And before you know it, you’ll be a pro! 03:35 Accepting that you have diabetes, checking your blood sugar, 03:39 and getting skilled with taking insulin will build the foundation for a full and healthy life, 03:45 if this seems like a lot, but feel free to pick two to start with, as long as one is taking your insulin. |
Understanding type 1 diabetes
Symptoms, treatment, and complications from type 1 diabetes may vary from person to person. The following information will help you learn more about this disease and provide you with helpful tools, assessments and resources.
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Type 1 symptoms
Learn the signs and symptoms, and if you exhibit any signs, be sure to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
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Type 1 treatment
Learn more about how Type 1 diabetes is treated with insulin injected into the body and a healthy lifestyle.
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Type 1 complications
Understand the potential complications and how to prevent or delay their onset.
We need a strategy now
Although people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes have different journeys, including whether or not they experience symptoms, there is one issue that unites all people living with the disease. Canada has no strategy to address one of the most significant health-care crisis of our time.
With no dedicated support or action to tackle the diabetes epidemic, it means that, every 24 hours:
- more than 20 Canadians die of diabetes-related complications
- 480 more Canadians are diagnosed with this devastating disease
- 14 Canadians have a lower limb amputation
- our health care system spends $75 million treating diabetes
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