Glossary of Terms*
*Not as reliable as Oxford Dictionary, but good enough.
Basal
The body always needs insulin in the system (due to the the liver sending out glucose). The word ‘base’ helps me remember this word.
Bolus
A dose of insulin to cover the BGL rise from some food. I use the word ‘bowl’ (i.e. food in a bowl) to remember the definition.
BGL
Blood Glucose Level (also known as blood sugar). It’s how much glucose there is in the blood on average at any 1 moment. Measured in strange numbers.
Carbohydrate
The word tells you literally what it is: C(arbon) + H2O i.e. H(ydrogen) and O(xygen).
‘Sugar’ has the same ingredients in its chemical cocktail.
Carb-Counting
Perhaps it should really be “glucose counting”, but that’s not alliterative. “Glucose guessing”? Hmm.
Whether I’m counting sugar, carbohydrates, gluconeogenesis, etc. all that I’m really trying to get at is finding out what effect anything I eat has on my Blood GLUCOSE Level.
GI
It’s ‘Good Indeed’ to know about the Glycemic Index. GI is the speed a food raises BGL, based on an average of several people tested for different foods. So GI can be different for different people.
Glucose = 100 (quick). Most everything else = less than 100.
Hyper
Hyperglycemia or high blood sugar. To study its effects, watch (at a safe distance) kids high on cake and soft drinks.
Hypo
Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. Not to be confused with the slang for tantrum.
Pancreas
Make sure you care for your poor pancreas. He looks like a corn cob and sends out several hormones besides insulin.
Sugar
Many types of sugar come under 1 (evil?) umbrella. Glucose, Sucrose, Maltose, Lactose, etc.
Sucrose is what we commonly call ‘sugar’ or ‘table sugar’. It’s 1/2 glucose + 1/2 fructose.
t1d/t1der
I use as a verb here rather than a noun for type 1 diabetes. Much like a swimmer swims, a t1d-er t1d’s.