What is type 1 Diabetes?

The short answer is Type 1 Diabetes is a disease which forces you to lead a positive lifestyle.  It is not caused by your lifestyle or by what you eat but leading a healthy lifestyle is a big part of it's treatment.  People call it a disease, illness, medical condition, health problem but I see it as a lifestyle, a positive one.  A lifestyle where you need to be physically active, eat well and manage your stress levels.  It all sounds possible to me.  There are far worse conditions to live with, that's the other thing, Type 1 Diabetes is a medical condition where as long as you monitor your blood sugar levels and administer daily insulin you can lead a full and active life. I have been able to do this for over 25 years now.

The recommendations Type 1 Diabetics are given are no different to the healthy living recommendations given to everyday Australians.  The only difference is we must also administer insulin and with the technology we have today this is becoming easier and easier. New pump technology means injections are a thing of the past.  Type 1 Diabetes is an empowering condition not a debilitating one as you must take control of your lifestyle.  I love to prove this by running marathons and proving I can do things I may not have done if I were not diabetic. I believe I am more active and adventurous due to my diabetes, with planning there are not too many things diabetics can not do. 


I must make it clear I am NOT a trained health professional and I am not trying to provide anyone with medical advice. I'm just looking to share my experience.  In each of these initial posts I will provide information from the Diabetes Australia website so you can get the real facts for yourself.  I would also love advice from other diabetics who are going through the same training challenges as I am.  After finishing my last marathon I felt it would be rewarding to share my experiences with the blogging community. I am also trying to allow people who do not have Type 1 Diabetes to understand what it is like living with diabetes.  The first few blogs may help students, teachers or newly diagnosed diabetics understand what Type 1 Diabetes is all about.


For anyone who is not 100% sure of what Type 1 Diabetes is I think a good starting point would be to help you understand what Type 1 Diabetes is and how it effects the body. Type 1 Diabetes is like having a broken key that can not open a door. A Type 1 Diabetic person's pancreas does not produce insulin which is the body's key for opening the 'energy door'. The body can not survive without energy therefore Type 1 Diabetics must administer insulin for their entire life to survive. Life becomes a balancing act between the 3 crucial elements of treatment:

1. Insulin dosage

2. Physical activity

3. Food intake 

The wrong combination of any of the above elements may cause hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.  The balancing act is the biggest challenge for Diabetics and this is even harder when training for a marathon.  I will explain the difference between hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia in my next post. 

Below is some further information taken from the Diabetes Australia website outlining in more accurate detail what Type 1 diabetes is. Click on the link to visit their website and find out more information about Type 1 Diabetes.


What is Type 1 diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas is unable to make enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that acts as a key to let glucose from the food we eat, pass from the blood stream into the cells to provide energy. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed during childhood or young adulthood but can occur at any age. People with type 1 diabetes need insulin every day for survival, either by injection or insulin pump.

What are the symptoms?

• In diabetes, glucose stays in the blood, causing the blood glucose level to become abnormally high. Symptoms may include:
• Being very thirsty 
• Being very tired 
• Passing lots of urine 
• Tummy pain 
• Losing weight 
• Feeling generally unwell 
• Being dehydrated 

What causes type 1 diabetes?

Some people carry genes which might make them more likely to get type 1 diabetes. However, it only develops in these people when something triggers the immune system to destroy the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. These triggers are thought to be factors in the environment, but as yet are not well understood. Type 1 diabetes is not related to lifestyle or caused by eating too many sweets. It is not possible to catch diabetes from someone else.

Type 1 diabetes is treated by:

• Lifelong insulin by injection several times a day or via an insulin pump. 
• Following a healthy eating plan including regular carbohydrate-containing foods. 
• Being physically active on a regular basis. 
• Testing blood glucose levels 4-6 times a day. 
• Having regular medical check-ups with the diabetes team, that may include a diabetes specialist, diabetes educator, dietitian, social worker, psychologist.

 DIABETES AUSTRALIA - http://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/