But really, why should I? If something (especially diabetes related) doesn't sit well with me, I should treat it as a "teaching moment", right?
My aunt sent me this article. After reading it, I couldn't not comment. Here's what I had to say:
Although I share the author's views about too much candy, the obesity epidemic in this country, and the serious over-use of additives and chemicals in our products, I have to point out one thing. Bringing education and information to the forefront is more important now than ever, but I believe it should be accurate.
I have a huge problem with the term diabetes being used here as a blanket statement. It's akin to assuming that all cancer is of the breast, or the liver. Diabetes comes in a few different forms, and a clarification needs to be made in this case.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that results in failure of insulin producing beta cells of the pancreas. It is not brought on by lifestyle, and there is no "growing out of it", patients rely on insulin (either through multiple injections or an insulin pump) to survive. As a matter of fact, there is no cure.
I'm not living in denial, I understand there is a huge problem with obesity-caused Type 2, so your article makes perfect sense. Allot of the symptoms of Type 2 can be managed quite well by lifestyle changes that promote healthy eating and exercise, but there are many people who become more insulin-dependant over time, too.
So many people with Type 2 lead typically healthy lifestyles, and do not fit your description of ..."parents who waddle down wide suburban streets, diabetic and obese"... Sometimes, like with other diseases, Type 2 just happens.
What is really important is eating well and doing some form of activity every day...no matter who you are, or what health challenges you face.
I think it's also important to have a clear picture of each type of diabetes. As a mother of a child with Type 1, it's something that I find myself explaining often. There are allot of misconceptions surrounding diabetes already, it doesn't need any help being more complicated. It already is.
13 years ago
