Medtronic: Managing Her Diabetes ‘Runner’s High’
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / May 9, 2024 / MedtronicTechnology helps people living with diabetes manage the highs and lows of blood sugarJodie Snavely finds mental relaxation when she's running. And she runs a lot - nearly every day.Achieving that …
NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / May 9, 2024 / Medtronic
Technology helps people living with diabetes manage the highs and lows of blood sugar
Jodie Snavely finds mental relaxation when she's running. And she runs a lot - nearly every day.
Achieving that mental relaxation hasn't always been easy, however. For years, Snavely's type 1 diabetes (T1D) added stress, especially when it came to managing her blood sugar levels. She had to consider how much to eat before a long run, how much insulin to give herself, and how her levels changed during a workout.
"Trying to manage all that myself felt like a lot of guesswork," recalls Snavely, 57, who today has several half-marathons under her belt. "And then after I stopped running, my blood sugar would still go up - sometimes really high."
What is hyperglycemia?
High blood sugar, called hyperglycemia, occurs in people with diabetes when there is not enough insulin to regulate the amount of glucose in the blood. This can happen for several reasons, including not taking enough insulin after a meal, fluctuating hormones during monthly menstrual cycles, stress or illness, or dawn phenomenon (when individuals experience a rise in blood sugars in the early morning). Short-term effects include frequent urination, thirst, and fatigue.
Lesen Sie auch
When she experiences high blood sugar, Snavely recognizes it right away. "I feel sluggish with slight flu-like symptoms - just yucky and not as clear of mind."
If left untreated, hyperglycemia can lead to serious health complications such as nerve damage, heart disease, kidney damage, and can even impact cognitive function.
High-tech to reduce highs
Some people who live with type 1 diabetes use exercise to help manage high blood sugars. But advances in technology have improved diabetes management in a more predictable way, allowing individuals to track their blood sugar levels closely and make necessary adjustments to their diet and medication.
Snavely relies on the newest technology to help keep highs in check: the MiniMedTM 780G system with Meal DetectionTM technology, which automatically adjusts and corrects sugar levels every five minutes. The device has been instrumental in preventing the blood sugar spikes she experienced after longer runs.
When she miscalculates how many carbohydrates she's eaten, the system keeps her sugar levels where she wants them. As a result, she spends less time thinking and worrying about how her diabetes is affecting her life and her runs.