7 Life Hacks for Living with Type 1 Diabetes

There are many components to proper management of type 1 diabetes. It’s a lifelong commitment that requires extreme diligence and almost constant awareness. Here are 7 life hacks for dealing with the daily struggles of living with type 1 diabetes.

1. Keep a travel-size bottle of hand cream in your purse, brief case, or backpack. Dry skin is an irritating side effect of diabetes, but moisturizing often can help eliminate the itch.
2. Prepare a week’s worth of snacks and place them in clear storage containers or bags for when you’re crunched for time. If you can, label each snack with the total carb count so you know exactly what to grab.
3. Pack hand sanitizer or alcohol wipes for outdoor excursions or overnight trips. Having clean hands is important for accurately testing blood glucose, and you may not always have access to running water when you’re out exploring. While testing with the first drop of blood is best, you can also use the second drop if you’re unable to wash your hands (in order to avoid any type of contamination).
4. Set a reminder on your phone or computer’s calendar to reorder your diabetes supplies, such as insulin, test strips, glucose tablets, diabetic shoes, and anything else you use regularly. You never want to be left stranded, and this reminder can prompt you to stock up on what you need.
5. Take the hassle out of diabetes management, or at least some of it, by using your smartphone. Apps can be an excellent resource and can help with everything from food logging to tracking glucose to connecting with others.
6. Carry your diabetes and medical information with you at all times, especially when you’re traveling. Print it out on credit card-sized paper, laminate it, and store it in your wallet or purse. If you’re going abroad, have it translated into the languages of the countries you’re visiting.

Organize your pantry based on what you use most and keep healthy food toward the front. Keep things like canned beans, packages of nuts, and boxes of oatmeal up front, and store sugary cereals, packaged cookies, and other junk food in the back of the cupboard. This will help you choose healthy snacks, and help you avoid duplicate purchases.