7 Things I Wish I Knew 15 Years Ago About Managing Type 1 Diabetes

If I could go back in time, these are the 7 things I wish I knew about managing Type 1 Diabetes.

(It would have saved me a lot of frustrations and mistakes that put my health in danger.)

1. Carbohydrates are not the enemy: On day 1 with my diagnosis, I was told to avoid carbohydrates. For almost a decade I focused on fats and proteins, believing they were the solution, but I was only increasing my insulin resistance.

2. Count your carbs and track your ratios: I wish I had started to accurately track my insulin dosage and carb intake earlier on. Had I done this, I would have avoided so many dangerous hypo and hyperglycemias.

3. Fats and proteins = delayed spike: Nobody told me that proteins can metabolize as glucose and that fats cause a delay in glucose absorption. So for years I struggled with spikes coming "out of nowhere" hours after my meals (the infamous “Pizza” phenomenon). Learning about the impact of fats and proteins on blood glucose management has been one of the biggest “ha-ha” moments of my life, seriously!

4. The "rule of 15" doesn't always apply: "You should take your insulin, wait 15 minutes, and then start eating". That is what the doctors told me at the beginning. Is it a good rule of thumb? Yes. Is this always true? No. For instance, when I am sleep deprived I need to wait longer. After a marathon, I can eat instantly. You have no idea how many times I have followed this rule without considering the context, and have gone into hypo or hyperglycemia.

5. Avoid processed foods: Yes, processed foods are like poison. There are many reasons to avoid them, one being that they increase insulin resistance, cause huge and rapid spikes (refined carbs), and destroy one's control around food - leading to overeating more poisonous stuff.

6. Move constantly: I knew movement was somehow important, but I didn't know how much (and I was afraid of hypoglycemias). Moving constantly, "living actively", is a huge assist for our insulin sensitivity, and since I've grasped this my time in range has skyrocketed.

7. Sleep more: Sleep deprivation is almost a badge of honor in modern times. In truth, one single night of bad sleep is enough to increase insulin resistance and the risk of blood sugars rollercoasters. I understood that after years of late nights. Cleaning my sleep routine has changed my life.

Had I known these things from the very beginning, I would have avoided so many mental breakdowns and "this disease is ruining my life" moments.

I know them now, and I hope that by sharing them I can spare you some of the mistakes I have made and fast track your way to thriving with Type 1 Diabetes.

Let me know in the comments which one of these you didn’t know, or which one you’re committed to improve!