10 Tips for managing Type 1 Diabetes for working professionals | Zyla Health
I can still remember the day I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) when I was 15. Starting with insulin during my school days was a bit messy initially but overall easy as it was totally under the guidance of my doctors, parents and teachers. Later, it became better.
But I got worried about managing diabetes when I got my first job in a different city. I had to shift there, cook food and live on my own. More than me, my family was worried about it.
When I joined, I made a decision that I would inform my colleagues about my health. At first, I wasn’t comfortable saying it, as I was thinking that they might judge me. But I gained the courage to talk about it on the 1st day itself.
Fortunately, there was no negative feedback and they took it into consideration. I realized that I made the right decision when just after a few days I had a hypoglycemia episode in my office and my colleagues helped me to overcome it. Since then I realized it is always better to open up.
Here is my short story of coping with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) while working. Now I am going to share some tips for managing T1DM with you that I follow while working.
1. Maintain proper insulin and meal timings
As you know, having T1DM, it is very important to take proper doses of insulin as it is the only treatment for it. You must try to take insulin at the same time every day for a better effect. Most importantly, everything must be done under the guidance of your Doctor.
Another important thing is that you need to have balanced meals on time to keep yourself healthy. This will help in avoiding any kind of hypoglycemic episodes which are more harmful than high blood sugar levels. Do not fast or starve yourself for a long time.
For more information, you can read our blog, “Diabetic meal planning: A brief about diabetic diet”. If you require a proper diet plan to help you manage diabetes, you can download the Zyla app or visit our website- Zyla.in.
2. Start your day the right way
To manage T1DM in a better way, start your work day with a balanced breakfast in the morning. Have your breakfast with an adequate amount of carbohydrates, protein and fat to make it balanced.
For balancing, you can follow the plate method i.e. ½ of your plate must contain fiber from cooked vegetables and raw salads, ¼ of your plate must contain carbohydrates from chapati or rice or daliya etc and ¼ of your plate must contain protein from dairy products or dal or non-veg.
In the morning, you must be in a hurry to start work at the right time but it is very important to take a little time for yourself and have your breakfast properly to avoid low blood sugar episodes or weakness.
3. Smart snacking
One of the tips for managing T1DM, is to have small and frequent meals throughout the day instead of having three very heavy meals i.e. only breakfast, lunch and dinner.
During office hours, keep a box of nuts & seeds like cashews (kaju), pistachios (pista), almonds (badam), walnuts (akhrot), raisins (kishmish), sunflower seeds (surajmukhi ke beej), pumpkin seeds (kaddu ke beej) or fruit or roasted makhana or roasted chana besides you to munch on in between main meals to avoid any low blood sugar episodes.
Keep this box just in front of you on your office desk so that you are reminded of it. These smart snacking options will help you avoid munching on fried or junk food items and it won’t take too much of your time but hardly 5–10 minutes during office hours.
4. Smart choice of foods
In office parties or office get-togethers, choose your food smartly! Take more salads and fruits instead of fried and oily items, instead of bread or naan try to opt for chapati or rice. Try to take off gravy as they contain more oil in it. Opt for regular options like dal, curd and sabzi.
To know more about choice of foods read our blog, “8 Types of foods to give up with diabetes: A complete list”.
5. Stay hydrated
Keep yourself well hydrated throughout the day. Drink around 2.5 to 3 liters of water daily to avoid dehydration. Always keep your water bottle near your work desk and take these tips for managing T1DM seriously. If you’re not well hydrated you might feel very thirsty oftenly.
You can also increase your hydration by drinking other fluids like lemon water, buttermilk, milk, coconut water, bael sharbat, sattu sharbat, chia seeds water, soups etc.
For better management of your diabetes under the guidance of experts, you can download the Zyla app or visit our website- Zyla.in.
6. Open up
To maintain proper meal timings and to take insulin on time it is very important to inform your office authorities about it. Be open about your health and don’t feel shy about telling them. This is just one of the tips for managing T1DM.
You might need a break at certain times to inject your insulin or to have meals on time or if you feel discomfort or uneasiness or dizzy due to sudden drop in your blood sugar levels (BSL).
Being open from the start of your job will help your office authorities to make your work structure better and that won’t hamper your health. If you’ll open up from the beginning, then it will be easier for them also to help you whenever needed and they will understand your health in a better way.
7. Spread awareness
Many people still have very little knowledge about T1DM. You can make your co-workers aware about what T1DM is, how it happens, how it is treated, what hypoglycemia is, why it is a matter of concern and it’s management. They will get to know about a new insight of it.
They can learn better from your practical case. After knowing it in detail they can help you in a better way. You don’t need to feel embarrassed to teach them and make them understand what T1DM is.
8. Keep your test kit ready
Always try to keep your blood sugar test kit ready with you. While going to the office, try to carry it with you daily or you can keep a test kit in your office desk. You might need it whenever you feel dizzy or weak, then you can test your BSL for further management.
You can add a note on your test kit which might help your colleagues to check your BSL in case of any emergency, when you might not be able to give instructions to them.
To learn more about glucometer usage, read our blog, “How to use a glucometer?”.
9. Keep yourself stress-free
In your daily routine with a high workload and health issues, it is easy to get stressed. Stress can increase your blood sugar levels and will affect your sleep pattern, which might affect your work and personal life as well.
Always try to be calm. Keep yourself engaged doing things which make you happy. You can also practice meditation and breathing exercises. To know more, read our blog, “How to manage Diabetes and emotional health”.
10. Keep yourself physically active
The last tip for managing T1DM: While working keep yourself physically active! During your busy schedule make yourself a priority.
Try to avoid sitting for long hours, always get up in between for 5 minutes and walk. In one hour, work for 55 minutes and invest 5 minutes for yourself. It will give you a break, keep you active and your eyes will not get strained as well.
To know which exercise a diabetic must perform, read our blog, “The best exercise for diabetes.”
From the first day, make your health condition clear to your authorities. Make them understand properly for your betterment and to avoid any emergency circumstances.
Having diabetes is not a curse for you so try to follow these tips for managing T1DM. Whenever you are feeling uncomfortable or dizzy, do not take it lightly but take actions to prevent any further complications. Try not to downplay your health issues or any symptoms.
If you’re looking for a care team to guide you and your child holistically to manage diabetes and prevent further complications, you can download the Zyla app.
With Zyla’s amazing panel of doctors, nutritionists, physiotherapists and psychologists, we can help you fight diabetes and have a better overall quality of life.
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