I have been living with autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes (I will refer to it as T1D most often) since I was 5 years old. There are many common misconceptions about T1D, especially due to another condition that shares its name: Type 2 Diabetes. Forget what you think you know about "diabetes" (regardless of type) and just allow me to tell you a few things I'd like you to know about T1D before we go any further.
- There is no cure for T1D. I take insulin daily via an insulin pump, to enable my body to metabolize glucose in my blood from the food that I eat. Insulin is typically made by an organ called the pancreas, but my body had an autoimmune over-reaction as a result of a viral illness when I was a child, and the insulin-producing beta cells were attacked by my own immune system. No beta cells= no insulin. Taking cinnamon, okra, or some special diet pill advertised on the front of Reader's Digest will not cure me. Eating right and exercising will not bring my pancreas back to life. Insulin is a form of life support. I take it daily because without it, I would die. That is why finding the cure is so important to those of us with T1D.
- Type 2 diabetes is a totally different condition. Honestly, I'm not an expert on what causes that type of insulin resistance, but I know that for SOME people diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, it can be put into remission with a healthy lifestyle, weight loss, diet changes and oral medication. I believe this is where the misconceptions about my form of T1D stem from. Then again, I know several Type 2 diabetics who have lost weight and changed their lifestyle but the underlying insulin resistance did not go away. Type 2 diabetes is often discussed in the media and sensationalized, while T1D does not seem to receive the same attention.
- I CAN eat sugar! Yes, it is true :). Of course, I do have to take insulin when I eat anything that will affect my blood glucose level. Sugar is a carb. Fruit is a carb. Bread is a carb. Potato is a carb. Rice is a carb. All of these turn to glucose when metabolized by the body, and I would give insulin for all of them. In fact, I take insulin even without carb intake because the body requires a basal amount of insulin to function, regardless of carbohydrate consumption. Back when I was a child, we were taught that sugar itself, pure white sugar, was BAD. Yet somehow, professionals in diabetes care never focused on other types of carbohydrates until more recently. I remember as a kid, going to Dunkin Donuts. I was not allowed to have a plain chocolate frosted doughnut or a french cruller (what I really wanted) but I was given a blueberry muffin "because it's healthier for a diabetic." Have you ever seen a blueberry muffin from DD? It's pretty much the size of three doughnuts! From the current nutritional facts found on Dunkin's website, a chocolate frosted doughnut has 31 grams of carbohydrates, a French Cruller has only 17 grams of carbs (!!!) and the "healthy" blueberry muffins I was given contain 76 grams of carbohydrates. Seventy-six! As I said, back then we didn't count carbs, we didn't know any better. Somehow the frosting and pure "sugar" was thought to be worse for us than the huge crusty muffin without glaze. Nowadays, I generally choose to skip sugary treats as I have found that a diet with less simple carbohydrates, grains, and sugar is easier for me to manage with diabetes. But the point here is that I "can" consume sugar, in fact there are times when my glucose level drops too low due to intense activity with insufficient food or too much insulin (since I have to act as my own pancreas and there is a margin of human error when calculating food/activity/insulin). At those times, I am required to take in sugar. And if there is a choice between chocolate (my weakness!) and juice, you will catch me with the chocolate. Every time. :)
- I can do anything that a person without diabetes can do. Well, except produce insulin in my pancreas, apparently. But everything else, I can do with proper management of this chronic disease. I have run races from 5k up to the half-marathon distance, and last year I completed my first sprint triathlon. My experiences may not be extraordinary, but for me they are always a challenge! I just read an inspiring story during this year's Winter Olympic Games about a cross-country skiier named Chris Freeman who has T1D. He did not win the gold medal this year but if you know anything about cross-country skiing, you know that it is one of the most physically challenging endurance-based sports in the Winter Games and for a person with T1D to even compete was an amazing feat! The 2014 games were his 4th trip to the Olympics and though likely his last, he is further proof to the more than 3 million Americans living with T1D that we can do anything.
I'm sure there will be more to come on that subject, but for now let's start there. I am always happy to answer questions in the comments, so post away!
-S
