WOMENS HEALTH & DIABETES

Meet Sammy
This is her story xx

‘So I’m not very confident in writing things like this but Megan has asked me to and therefore I will.
This lady has been at the start of my health journey and continues to be the person I turn to for advice.

In December 2011
I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. I was familiar with this disease as my Mother was diagnosed at the age of 49. This was to be the worst and best day of my life. After being unwell for 2 years before, I now had some answers and could move forward. I have regained my life and my health.

Type 1 Diabetes is an auto-immune condition in which the immune system is activated to destroy the cells in the pancreas which produce insulin. We do not know what causes this auto-immune reaction. Type 1 Diabetes is not linked to modifiable lifestyle factors. There is no cure and it cannot be prevented.

People with type 1 diabetes depend on insulin every day of their lives to replace the insulin the body cannot produce. They must test their blood glucose levels several times throughout the day. At this time in my life, I require 5 injections a day to keep my blood glucose levels at a manageable level. This is through 2 long lasting insulin injections and fast acting insulin before I eat my 3 meals a day.

Keeping your blood glucose level at the optimum range is a careful balance between what food is eaten, physical activity and medication.
Blood glucose levels which are too high, could result in hyperglycemia or ketoacidosis. Blood glucose levels which are too low, could result in hypoglycemia. Ketoacidosis is an emergency and you must call emergency services immediately as you will be very sick.

The type of carbohydrate you eat is very important as some can cause higher blood glucose after eating. The best combination is to eat moderate amounts of high fibre low GI carbohydrates.
Low GI carbohydrate foods enter the blood stream slowly and have less of an impact on blood glucose levels. Examples of low GI foods include traditional rolled oats, dense wholegrain breads, lentils and legumes, sweet potato, milk, yoghurt, pasta and most types of fresh fruit.

I have been very focused on controlling my diabetes via exercise and food, I still require and will always require my injections but I have managed to understand and gain vast knowledge of what it is my body actually needs in order to control this chronic health situation and therefore can control the amount I am injecting. Exercise that I do today, affects my blood glucose levels tomorrow, which will affect the amount I need to eat and inject.
Everybody and everyday is different, how I feel today will be totally different to tomorrow.
I have found that between exercise every second day and watching what I eat, I have been able to limit my injections by 1 daily.

I am fortunate to have wonderful people in my life who support my struggles in health. There are always people willing to listen and who can see when I am struggling.

There you go – your world through my eyes! ‘

Sam Green