Type 1 Diabetes

10% of people living with diabetes in Canada have 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.

Our bodies produce sugar and also get sugar from foods like bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, milk and fruit. Without insulin, sugar builds up in your blood instead of being used for energy.

Type 1 diabetes is treated with insulin injected into the body and a healthy lifestyle.

Understanding type 1 diabetes

The cause of type 1 diabetes remains unknown. It’s not caused by eating too much sugar and is not preventable. Researchers believe that that type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system destroys the cells that make insulin.

The symptoms of type 1 diabetes can develop quickly. Most people with type 1 diabetes are diagnosed in childhood and early adulthood, but it can appear at any age.

You can manage type 1 diabetes by:

• taking insulin as recommended (and other medications, if prescribed by your doctor)
• monitoring your blood sugar levels regularly using a home blood glucose meter
• eating healthy meals and snacks
• enjoying regular physical activity
• aiming for a healthy body weight
• managing your stress effectively

 Information taken from https://www.diabetes.ca/en-CA/recently-diagnosed/type-1-toolkit