Life Expectancy with Type 1 Diabetes
An overview of how diabetes type 1 impacts your lifespan and how to naturally remedy it.
Diabetes, no matter what the type, is never a good thing health-wise. Those who suffer from it are left vulnerable to a host of other ailments and diseases that affect their overall life expectancy. Though prevention, by living healthy, is always the best course of action, those who are afflicted with diabetes should know that this isn’t the end of the road.
With the right information, a good treatment plan, and full-proof determination to get healthy: life expectancy and quality will improve sooner than one might realize.
Type 1 Diabetes
Also known as juvenile diabetes, this is the kind of diabetes that occurs through genetic complications or even viruses. It is known to afflict the young or adolescents but can arise in adults too.
It is caused by the inability of the pancreas to produce enough insulin – a hormone needed to allow glucose to enter cells and create energy. Though there is currently no known cure for type 1 diabetes, a combination of insulin shots and a healthy diet can effectively manage the condition and live normally.
Life Expectancy of those with Type One Diabetes
Much of the factors that affect the life expectancy surrounding those with type one diabetes is the maintenance of proper insulin and sugar levels in the body constantly. This means rigorously watching what one eats and safeguarding the supply of insulin.
This gets even more complicated when one considers the financial strain that treatment puts on a person. Some people with diabetes simply cannot afford to pay for the cost of insulin.
These along with environmental and dietary factors can greatly reduce the life expectancy of a person dealing with type 1 diabetes. In a 2015 report by HealthDay News, men lose up to 11 years of life expectancy compared to men without the disease. And, women with type 1 diabetes have their lives cut short by about 13 years. This comes off the heels of a study published in the Jan. 6 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
How To Deal With It
As stated above, there is currently no known cure for type 1 diabetes though the research continues. There are, however, several proven methods to effectively manage the disease and live life as normally as possible. These treatments include:
- Taking insulin. This is the main course of action and, sadly, insulin shots will likely be a necessity for the rest of the afflicted’s life.
- Carbohydrate, fat, and protein counting. This makes sure that the levels of sugars in your body are optimal. Anything excessive or deficient can lead to complications.
- Frequent blood sugar monitoring. Also part of ensuring the optimal levels of glucose in the body.
Natural Remedies
Apart from the normal medical advice, some natural remedies are shown to help or be just as effective. These can include:
- Aloe vera.
- Bilberry extract.
- Bitter melon.
- Cinnamon.
- Fenugreek.
- Ginger.
- Okra.
These herbs and natural remedies can either be consumed through eating or in the form of tea depending on where they best lend themselves. Along with these, be sure you’re eating healthy foods. A balanced diet that avoids any junk foods, fast foods, or sugary treats helps manage the symptoms and extend life expectancy as much as possible.
Another perfectly natural way to deal with it is by exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight. All this should be part of the overall plan to give a person with type 1 diabetes as many resources to live as long and normally as possible.
Bottom line
And that was the life expectancy of a person with type 1 diabetes along with some advice on how to best manage it. Though it might seem that type 1 diabetes is a lifelong sentence, it should not be a lifelong burden.
Many people have come to live long and fulfilling lives with the disease and there really should be any reason why you can’t do the same.
Armed with the remedies that nature can provide, good information, and a little determination, there’s no doubt type 1 diabetes doesn’t stand a chance against you.