Living with diabetes isn’t easy, says Type 1 diabetic Bobby Price. It’s a daily struggle to maintain control and keep the body in balance. Here, Price touches on the various ways life changes after a diagnosis.
Medication
Diabetes is a chronic condition characterized by a lack of insulin in the blood. Insulin is responsible for regulating the body’s glucose levels. According to Bobby Price, diabetics must constantly monitor blood glucose levels and learn to properly administer insulin when necessary. Most adult diabetics self-inject insulin with a pump, syringe, or insulin pen. Bobby Price says maintaining a close relationship with a healthcare provider is vital in keeping tabs on medications and medical breakthroughs.
Exercise
While Bobby Price has always been active, he says a simple daily routine isn’t enough exercise to keep diabetes in check. Regular cardiovascular and strength training exercises help the body stabilize blood glucose levels, so a custom fitness program is imperative.
Nutrition
A diabetes diagnosis requires dramatically altered eating habits, says Bobby Price. Diabetics must learn to understand how carbohydrates interact with the body and which diabetes superfoods are full of blood-sugar leveling vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Bobby Price notes that protein, dairy, grains, and healthy fats are important components in a healthy diabetic meal plan.
Emotional support
Many newly-diagnosed patients view diabetes as a life sentence where the punishment is a sudden and drastic transformation of lifestyle. It does require change, acknowledges Bobby Price, but it’s not a penalty as much as an opportunity to regain control. Seeking emotional support and connecting with other patients experiencing diabetes can make a huge difference, as far as self-esteem and self-confidence issues are concerned.
Bobby Price encourages other diabetics to take a look around and see that living a full life is possible after diagnosis. He points out that many celebrities live every day with the disease, citing NASCAR driver Ryan Reed as the perfect example. In 2011, Reed was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. His doctors told him he would never race again. However, Ryan started his second season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2015, refusing to let his condition slow him down.
