Maintaining a structured routine is essential for those living with Type 1 Diabetes. Adequate glycemic control depends on a series of factors that, when properly organized, make everyday life more predictable and help prevent unwanted fluctuations in glucose levels. Here, we explore how you can set up an efficient routine to monitor your diabetes and optimize treatment.
One of the first steps in creating an efficient routine is to define fixed schedules to measure blood glucose. Regular monitoring is crucial to maintain diabetes control and prevent episodes of hypoglycaemia or hyperglycaemia. The basic recommendation is to measure glucose:
In some cases, it may be necessary to measure after meals or before physical activities, depending on the treatment prescribed. By establishing these schedules, it is easier to monitor variations throughout the day and make adjustments to treatment, if necessary.
If you use continuous glucose monitors (CGM), the measurements are taken automatically, and the data can be consulted in real time. However, even with the CGM, it's important to review daily reports to identify patterns and trends.
To have a food planning is another essential part of an efficient routine. Meals should be balanced and distributed throughout the day to avoid sudden spikes and drops in glucose levels. Prefer foods rich in fibres, lean proteins and healthy fats, which help keep blood glucose stable for longer.
The ideal is to plan your meals in advance, ensuring that healthy options are always available. Also, avoid skipping meals, as this can deregulate blood glucose and make control more difficult. Good planning includes:
Creating an eating routine with consistent schedules also makes it easier to adjust insulin doses, avoiding unpleasant surprises.
A regular physical activity It is an important part of the control of Type 1 Diabetes. Exercise improves insulin sensitivity and helps keep glucose levels under control. However, it is essential to incorporate exercise in a planned manner into your routine to avoid unwanted variations in blood glucose.
The ideal is to choose a fixed time for physical activities, such as in the morning or at the end of the day. Before you begin, check your glucose levels and make adjustments to your diet or insulin if necessary. After exercise, measure blood glucose again to assess the impact of physical activity.
When planning your workouts, combine aerobic activities, such as walking or cycling, with resistance exercise, such as weight training. This helps maximize the benefits of exercise for glycemic control and overall health.
Keep your medical supplies Organized is essential to ensure everything is at hand when you need it. Insulin, syringes, lancets, test strips, and any other item needed for diabetes control must be stored in an organized and easy to access manner.
Create a dedicated space for your supplies and regularly review your quantities to ensure that you never run out of insulin or test strips, for example. Also, always have a emergency bag with insulin, snacks and a glucose meter to use if necessary when away from home.
Following this structured routine of monitoring, eating, exercising, and organizing supplies helps you keep your blood glucose under control and live more calmly and healthily.
