What is: Type 1 diabetes?

In the past, this type used to be called insulin dependent diabetes or juvenile diabetes. In short - your body doesn't produce enough insulin, a hormone it needs to use glucose properly in the cells of your body. It is treated by taking insulin.

What is: Type 2 diabetes?

This is when your body has a problem using the insulin it is producing. It used to be called non-insulin dependent diabetes. This version of diabetes is treated by controlling (losing) weight, exercising and a strict diet. You may also need to take some insulin.

what you can do and what new restrictions there may be. Let us help you through some of the initial questions.

Diabetic meal planning

When people first are diagnosed with diabetes, it is very common to think you will need to stop eating anything sweet for the rest of your life. This is not the case though, it is a common misbelief. Diabetic meal planning is an art, you will need to consult a dietitian as soon as possible after you have been diagnosed, one who is specialized in diabetic meal planning. The reason you need an expert here is that the meal plan will be different for everyone, it will depend on your age and lifestyle, your type of diabetes, your weight etc.

A dietist will teach you how to count "carbs" (carbohydrates), how to use diabetic exchanges etc. Once your meal plan has been drawn up, it will contain the number of meals to eat every day, what to eat at different times, how to allow for special meals in special days and how to eat out. There will be guidelines for the intake of fat, how often you can have a glass of wine (yes you can!) and how to read ingredients labels when you are shopping.

You will need to learn about things like the "plate method" and "exchanges", the diabetic food pyramid (which differs a bit from the normal food pyramid).