MY DIGITAL HOME

A home for small wonders

009: DIABETES

Sweet Balance — Diabetes Healing Compass (Science + Complementary Care)

Balancer + Healer: practical medicine, everyday food wisdom, steady hope.

🧭 What Diabetes Is (in one clear breath)

Diabetes is a problem with how the body regulates blood sugar (glucose): type 1 (autoimmune, needs insulin), type 2 (insulin resistance ± deficiency), and prediabetes (higher-than-normal glucose, a warning light). Prediabetes is common and raises risk for type 2, heart disease, and stroke — the good news: many people can prevent or delay type 2 with lifestyle change. [oai_citation:0‡CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/about/index.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

🏛️ Pillars of Care

💊 Medicines (map view)

Type 2: Metformin often first-line; consider early GLP-1 RA and/or SGLT2i for those with obesity, ASCVD, heart failure, or CKD due to weight/CV/renal benefits. Therapy is escalated or de-escalated to meet glucose and comorbidity goals. [oai_citation:4‡Diabetes Journals](https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/48/Supplement_1/S181/157569/9-Pharmacologic-Approaches-to-Glycemic-Treatment?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

Type 1: Physiologic insulin (MDI or pump) + CGM forms the core; adjuncts are individualized. [oai_citation:5‡Diabetes Journals](https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/48/Supplement_1/S146/157557/7-Diabetes-Technology-Standards-of-Care-in?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

Note: New devices (e.g., year-long implantable CGM sensors) expand options — discuss fit, cost, and accuracy with your team. [oai_citation:6‡Verywell Health](https://www.verywellhealth.com/eversense-365-cgm-fda-clearance-8718361?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

🥗 Food Patterns that Work (choose a path you enjoy)

🏃 Movement = Medicine

Combine aerobic + resistance work, add short “movement snacks” after meals to smooth post-prandial glucose, and use heat/cooling or timing to fit your body. Benefits span glucose, weight, mood, and sleep. [oai_citation:10‡Diabetes Journals](https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article-pdf/47/Supplement_1/S77/746953/dc24s005.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

🧘 Complementary & Cautions

🧺 Your First 5 Moves

  1. Clarify your type, A1C target, and comorbidity goals with your clinician; choose meds that also protect heart/kidneys when indicated. [oai_citation:13‡Diabetes Journals](https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/48/Supplement_1/S181/157569/9-Pharmacologic-Approaches-to-Glycemic-Treatment?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
  2. Pick a food pattern you’ll enjoy (Mediterranean/DASH/plant-forward or a carb-reduced variant) and track portions/fiber. [oai_citation:14‡Diabetes Journals](https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article-pdf/47/Supplement_1/S77/746953/dc24s005.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
  3. Move most days (150 min/wk + 2 resistance sessions); add 10-minute walks after meals. [oai_citation:15‡Diabetes Journals](https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article-pdf/47/Supplement_1/S77/746953/dc24s005.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
  4. Discuss CGM or enhanced self-monitoring to learn your personal glucose responses. [oai_citation:16‡Diabetes Journals](https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/48/Supplement_1/S146/157557/7-Diabetes-Technology-Standards-of-Care-in?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
  5. If you have prediabetes, ask about a DPP-style program or metformin; lifestyle is most effective. [oai_citation:17‡New England Journal of Medicine](https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa012512?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

📿 Caring Note

This page is educational, not medical advice. Diabetes care is personal and evolving — partner with your clinician for decisions; use lifestyle and complementary tools to support (not replace) proven therapies. For current standards, see the ADA 2025 updates. [oai_citation:18‡American Diabetes Association](https://diabetes.org/newsroom/press-releases/american-diabetes-association-releases-standards-care-diabetes-2025?utm_source=chatgpt.com)

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