by Maurice Mines
Editor's Note: Maurice
Mines is a diabetic college student who just happens to be blind. Here he offers
worthwhile hints
based on his own experience.
One January morning, I sat down in my electrical engineering class, and began to eat lunch. I had originally planned to eat later in the day, but I began to feel low, so I decided to eat then. The professor walked in, and asked why I was eating. I reminded him I am a diabetic, and told him my blood sugar was somewhat low.
Now that I have given a real
life scenario, let's talk about food, about being a diabetic, being a full-time
college
student, and how to manage it all.
First, I will talk about how one's day might start out. I am a type 2 diabetic,
so I don't take insulin, but must control my blood glucose with oral medications.
It's not enough to take the pills; there are other things good to do as well.
In the morning, eat an appropriate breakfast. The type of breakfast you eat is
up to you. Only you know what your health care team has suggested you should
eat.
Secondly, you should carry some food with you, in case your blood sugars run low. You should either bring your lunch, or have a campus restaurant chosen ahead of time. In general, you should stay away from fried foods, and choose the sandwich plates, if you must. You should try to avoid a lot of sauces on your sandwich, and get the portion that is right for you. If you use less mayo and salad dressing, it makes the lunch healthier.
Now, let's talk about what you should tell the college, and tell the student services office. I think it is a good idea to let them know, just in case you have a low blood sugar incident while on campus. I also talk to my professors about this issue. Another thing I do is try to plan my classes so I have a lunch hour to eat. If you have a very long class, you should always have some food with you to bring your numbers up. If you have a night class, you should plan food eating accordingly. These suggestions also apply during study time.