What is the first need to address for a 35-year-old female with T1DM who has elevated fasting blood glucose levels?

The primary need to address for a 35-year-old female with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) and elevated fasting blood glucose levels is to provide instruction about the relationship of diet to blood glucose level. Understanding how different foods, particularly carbohydrates, impact blood sugar is crucial for managing diabetes effectively. This foundational knowledge empowers the individual to make informed dietary choices that can help stabilize blood glucose levels.

When a person with T1DM learns about the relationship between diet and blood glucose, they can better understand how specific foods influence their condition and how to adjust their meals in coordination with insulin therapy. This understanding can lead to better overall management of their diabetes and may help address the elevated fasting blood glucose levels.

While awareness of carbohydrate counting, physical activity, and insulin adjustments are essential components of diabetes management, they rely on the foundational knowledge of how diet impacts blood glucose levels. Individuals must first grasp this relationship to effectively implement the other recommendations. An integrated approach that begins with understanding the diet's impact sets the stage for more advanced strategies like carbohydrate counting and physical activity recommendations.