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Journalism of Courage
Alfia Jafry, daughter of filmmaker Rumi Jaffrey, who debuted with Uorfi Javed’s reality show The Tribe on Amazon Prime, recently opened up about her life and being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at a young age. “At 8, once, my sugar crossed 700-800. My brain was not functioning. I spent a year back and forth in the hospital. I was in a state of coma for a while. I have no memory. My head had inflated. That’s how dangerous diabetes can be,” Alfia, 25, recalled in a conversation with SkinYoga.
She shared that her doctors told her to lead a “normal life but make lifestyle changes”. “In general, I feel like sugar is poison. I suffer from low sugar. High sugars can be maintained. But with low sugars, if you don’t understand immediately, even in sleep, you can collapse. You can slide into coma as your brain stops working,” said Alfia, adding that she hasn’t had restful sleep owing to the constant worry of her sugar dipping.
Crediting her “very supportive family”, Alfia — who takes insulin shots five times a week — said: “They never made it seem like something’s wrong with me. I live a normal life by choice. I don’t think it’s easy. Not everyone can do it because it is not easy.”
Taking a cue from her admission, let’s understand more about type 1 diabetes.
People with type 1 diabetes control their blood glucose level by checking it and accordingly taking insulin several times a day.
Type 1 diabetes is a condition where our immune system destroys the insulin-making cells that exist in pancreas. These insulin making cells are called beta cells and the condition is usually diagnosed in children and younger populations. Therefore, some people also call it juvenile diabetes, said Dr Sweety Agarwal, endocrinologist, Fortis Gurugram.
The diagnostic tests for type 1 diabetes are similar to those for type 2 diabetes and include:
Glycated hemoglobin test – this blood test indicates the average blood sugar levels in the individual for the past three months. HbA1c > or equal to 6.5 per cent is diagnostic of diabetes
Random blood sugar test – The blood sample of the person is taken at a random time and the result is confirmed by repeat testing.
Fasting blood sugar test – The blood sample is taken after the person has been on an empty stomach for an entire night, usually at least eight hours.
Post meal or post glucose test – Testing done after two hours
Dr Agarwal said patients must take insulin, count the intake of carbohydrates, fat, and protein, check their blood sugar levels regularly, and consume a healthy diet. “Maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly are essential,” said Dr Agarwal.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
