What is diabetes? Distributed in collaboration place logo here with Account X If you or someone you know has diabetes, you’re not What happens in diabetes? alone. Millions of people have diabetes. Diabetes cannot yet be cured. But it can be managed. Diabetes is a condition in which the body doesn’t make or use insulin correctly. The image below shows, The most common types of in a simple way, what happens normally when you eat. diabetes are type 1 and type 2 In people without diabetes: Type 1 Type 2 n When you eat, some of your food is broken down into sugar (also called glucose). Sugar travels in your In type 1 diabetes, In type 2 diabetes, blood to all your body’s cells. Your cells need sugar the body makes little your body prevents for energy. Sugar from food makes your blood or no insulin, due to an the insulin it does sugar level go up overactive autoimmune make from working n In response to increased sugar, beta cells in system. So people with right. Or it may not the pancreas release a hormone called insulin. type 1 diabetes must make enough insulin. Insulin is like a key that unlocks the doors of your take insulin every day. Most people with cells so that sugar can get into the cells, where it Type 1 diabetes usually diabetes have type 2. is used as a source of energy occurs in children Some risk factors for and young adults, this kind of diabetes n There are other hormones that play important but it can also appear include older age, roles in how the body uses sugar. For example, in older adults. (An being overweight or amylin and GLP-1 help reduce the amount of autoimmune disease obese, family history, sugar made by the liver and slow the emptying of means that the body and having certain food from the stomach. Another hormone called attacks its own cells by ethnic backgrounds. glucagon tells the liver to release stored sugar if your mistake.) blood sugar gets too low or if you have not eaten for many hours, such as overnight The information below focuses on type 2 diabetes. For more information about type 1 diabetes, visit Cornerstones4Care.com. Blood sugar Food Digestion Cells Hormones Pancreatic Insulin (like GLP-1) beta cells (release insulin and amylin) What is diabetes? In people with diabetes: Knowing your A1C n Your pancreas makes little or no insulin, or The A1C test measures your estimated average blood n Your body prevents the insulin you do make from sugar level over the past 2 to 3 months. It’s like a working right. This is called insulin resistance “memory” of your blood sugar levels. It shows how well you’re controlling your blood sugar levels over time. Your A1C is made up of 2 other blood sugar Checking your blood sugar measurements: Checking your blood sugar yourself can be an n FPG is your fasting plasma glucose. This is your blood important part of a diabetes care plan. Checking sugar number when you have been fasting (not often will tell you: eating) for at least 8 hours n If your insulin or other diabetes medicine is n PPG is your postprandial plasma glucose. This is your working after-meal blood sugar level, which you check about 1 to 2 hours after you eat. It measures the blood n How physical activity, the foods you eat, and stress sugar spikes that happen after you eat affect your blood sugar Both your FPG and your PPG have to be at their targets You’ll usually feel better and have more energy in order for your A1C to be at target. when your blood sugar stays at or near your goal. Managing your blood sugar can also reduce your risk Your A1C and your blood sugar levels go up and down of developing problems from together. Here is how A1C relates to the estimated diabetes. average blood sugar level: A1C levels Average blood sugar 6% 126 mg/dL 7% 154 mg/dL 8% 183 mg/dL 9% 212 mg/dL 10% 240 mg/dL 11% 269 mg/dL 12% 298 mg/dL Adapted from the American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes—2016. Diabetes Care. 2016;39(suppl 1):S1-S112 It is recommended that you get an A1C test: How to check your blood sugar and keep track of your numbers n At least 2 times a year if your blood sugar is under good control Many different kinds of blood sugar meters are available today. Your diabetes care team can help you choose a n 4 times a year if you’re not meeting your goals or meter and show you how to use it. if your treatment has changed It’s important to write down your blood sugar levels so According to the American Diabetes Association, that you can keep track of what makes them go up or lowering your A1C to below 7% may reduce your down. Some meters also keep a log of your past blood risk of some diabetes-related problems, like problems sugar levels. You can also ask your diabetes care team ® booklet with your nerves, eyes, and kidneys. Your health care for a copy of the Cornerstones4Care Care.com provider will tell you what your personal A1C goal Staying on Track. Or go to Cornerstones4 should be. for an online tracker. Talk with your diabetes care team about your A1C goal and write it here: __________ I am taking non-insulin diabetes medicine diabetes non-insulin taking am I When to check your blood sugar insulin mealtime taking am I I am taking long-acting insulin long-acting taking am I Date: Date: You and your diabetes care team will decide when and _________________________________ __________________ __________________ A1C: recent most My how often you should check your blood sugar. Here are A diary of your blood sugar blood your of diary A 07/2015 some times when you may want to check: tracker sugar blood Your n At bedtime and when you wake up, to see if your blood sugar is staying under control while you’re asleep OPEN HERE If your doctor wants you to adjust your mealtime insulin. If you’ve received this tracker without the Staying on TrackUse this section based on your doctor’s instructions. Adding or starting mealtime insulin Because diabetes changes over time, your doctor may decide to add mealtime insulin to your plan to help control blood sugar when you eat. booklet, you can ask your diabetes care team for theThere booklet. are many ways to add mealtime insulin to your care plan. Together, your doctor and you will decide on the insulin plan that is right for you. You and your doctor can use the example 55 under this flap to see how you might add mealtime insulin one meal at a time. com . Care 4 Cornerstones It will give you more information about knowing your 2015 August 0615-00027363-1 reserved. rights All Nordisk Novo 2015 © Novo Nordisk is a registered trademark of Novo Nordisk A/S. Nordisk Novo of trademark registered a is Nordisk Novo Cornerstones4Care is a registered trademark of Novo Nordisk A/S. Nordisk Novo of trademark registered a is ® n ailments. other or diabetes have necessarily not do photographs the in models The only. illustration for are booklet this in used photographs The Before meals or large snacks, to know what your please call 1-800-727-6500. call please e in ic d e m s s e abet i d in ul s n on-i n g g n i k a am t am numbers and managing your diabetes. I in l ime insu ime t meal ng ki a t m a I trackers, additional order To in ul s n i g long-actin Care.com today to sign up taking am I _ _ __ _ ____ ______ ___ _______________ te: te: a D _ _ ___ __ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ ____ recent A1C: A1C: recent t s o m y M 5 1 0 2 / 7 0 r a sug d our bloo our y of y r a di a ur blood sugar tracker sugar blood ur yo If you’ve received staying on track this tracker without the Staying on Track booklet, you can ask your diabetes care team fo you r r b ol o th d sugar e booklet. tracker and guide to track ni g and a d uj sting meal it me ni su il n It will give you more information about knowing your numbers and managing your diabetes. goals. care diabetes your Go to Cornerstones4Care.com today to sign up for a free personalized program to help you reach your diabetes care goals. To order additional trackers, reach you help to program personalized free a for please call 1-800-727-6500. The photographs used in this booklet are for illustration only. The models in the photographs do not necessarily have diabetes or other ailments. to Go Cornerstones4Care® is a registered trademark of Novo Nordisk A/S. Novo Nordisk is a registered trademark of Novo Nordisk A/S. Cornerstones © 2015 Novo Nordisk All rights reserved. 0615-00027363-1 August 2015 Cornerstones4Care.com 4 5 Care.com 5 time. time. up sign to today a a at at l l a me e on in l su in me me lti mea add t t gh i m u u yo how to see see to p fla s s hi t der un e exampl e e th se se u can can r r ur docto ur yo d n a u o Y numbers and managing your diabetes.