Bits of art by me, or bits of art not by me.

21st September 2012

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I’ve heard each of these a dozen times, and each of them comes from the same, well-intentioned place. Really, what they’re saying is “I care about you, and I know more about your body than you do”. The problem is this; not only is each one totally condescending, but it also betrays a FUNDAMENTAL MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT TYPE 1 DIABETES. It is the job of someone with Type 1 Diabetes to know how individual foods affect him or her, and aside from those individual variations, a Type 1’s diet is NO MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN IT IS FOR ANYBODY ELSE. “Yeah, but my Uncle Edna has diabetes and can’t have sugar, which is why you can’t have sugar, right?” Uncle Edna is probably Type 2.TYPE 2 IS VASTLY MORE COMMON THAN TYPE 1 AND IS TREATED MUCH DIFFERENTLY. Please, trust me on this. Sugar barely enters into it. SO LONG AS A TYPE 1 COVERS HIS OR HER CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE WITH INSULIN, HE OR SHE CAN EAT WHATEVER THEY PLEASE. That’s cake, pies, pizza, soda, whatever! But the worst thing is this: Once explaining this to people, sometimes they look suspicious. As though you’re lying. As though you just REALLY WANT that eclair and you’re somehow trying to cheat. My friends, that - by far- is the worst reaction of all. Especially when it comes from someone more overweight and less healthy. Please, don’t assume you know more about someone’s body than they do. Especially when you decide to remain ignorant after being presented with the facts. You are not helpful. THANK YOU!

I’ve heard each of these a dozen times, and each of them comes from the same, well-intentioned place. Really, what they’re saying is “I care about you, and I know more about your body than you do”. The problem is this; not only is each one totally condescending, but it also betrays a FUNDAMENTAL MISUNDERSTANDING ABOUT TYPE 1 DIABETES.

It is the job of someone with Type 1 Diabetes to know how individual foods affect him or her, and aside from those individual variations, a Type 1’s diet is NO MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN IT IS FOR ANYBODY ELSE.

“Yeah, but my Uncle Edna has diabetes and can’t have sugar, which is why you can’t have sugar, right?”

Uncle Edna is probably Type 2.TYPE 2 IS VASTLY MORE COMMON THAN TYPE 1 AND IS TREATED MUCH DIFFERENTLY. Please, trust me on this. Sugar barely enters into it.

SO LONG AS A TYPE 1 COVERS HIS OR HER CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE WITH INSULIN, HE OR SHE CAN EAT WHATEVER THEY PLEASE.

That’s cake, pies, pizza, soda, whatever! But the worst thing is this: Once explaining this to people, sometimes they look suspicious. As though you’re lying. As though you just REALLY WANT that eclair and you’re somehow trying to cheat.

My friends, that - by far- is the worst reaction of all. Especially when it comes from someone more overweight and less healthy. Please, don’t assume you know more about someone’s body than they do. Especially when you decide to remain ignorant after being presented with the facts. You are not helpful.

THANK YOU!

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