How to Stay Healthy!

Are you more interested in how to stay healthy or what issues will happen if you do not stay healthy?  Well, we are going to go over both points, today.  I have explained to you what the healthy standards are for a JD, but you might ask how to maintain your health in order to live a long and healthy life as if you do not even have JD.

When you digest food, your body changes food into glucose, then insulin allows the glucose to enter all of your cells of your body and be used as energy.  For people with JD, their body does not make the insulin needed SO the glucose builds up in the blood instead of moving into the cells.  Too much glucose in the blood can lead to SERIOUS PROBLEMS LATER IN LIFE.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF YOU DO NOT STAY HEALTHY AS A JD:

• Eye problems
• Diabetic kidney disease
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Nueropathy (nerve damage)

Yes, these sound like horror stories, but with today's different technologies and by living a healthy life style, issues can be fixed and prevented.

HOW TO STAY HEALTHY AS A JD:

• Follow the doctor's orders:
• If the doctor tells you to take this amount of insulin, gives certain formulas for taking insulin, says to exercise, gives ideas and guidelines on dieting, DO IT.  Do as the doctor says, after all, he knows best.
• Diet:
• Dieting is the key to a healthy lifestyle as a JD.  Watching what you eat and drink will affect your blood sugar.  Fruits and vegetables are best to eat, but people with JD also need a part of every food group.  Protein, fiber, carbohydrates (carbohydrates turn into sugar), sugar, and fat are needed, as well.
• Keep track:
• Keeping track of your blood glucose levels and the insulin you take can help you and the doctor adjust the insulin dosages in order to get blood sugar levels where the are supposed to be (70-120).  Keeping track of what you eat can be a good idea, too.
• Exercise:
• Exercising helps lower blood sugar and keeps you in shape.  When you are a JD, obesity is not good.
• Do the correct amount of insulin for the food eaten:
• For me, I divide the amount of carbohydrates I eat by the number 7.  So, if I have twenty-eight carbohydrates, I would do four units of insulin.  If I did three units of insulin, it would not be enough, therefore my sugar would go higher.  Your doctor will set you up with a formula.
• Test blood glucose level an appropriate amount daily.
• I test my sugar ten times a day!  Testing glucose levels is good so that if your sugar level is high or low, you can take care of it.

• Do not smoke.
• Smoking can lead to problems in the future even if you are not a JD. 

Remember, living a healthy lifestyle is your best bet for living a long life!