Diabetes Awareness Week- Setting The Record Straight

This week (12th-18th June) is Diabetes Awareness Week here in the UK, with the theme being "Setting the Record Straight." I previously wrote about my diabetes experience/story back in February (which you can find here) but as it is such a big part of my life I wanted to become involved during this week and speak up even more, especially as this years theme is so important. Over the past 12 years in which I have suffered with this disease, I have seen and heard so many myths and misconceptions surrounding the condition, so today I thought I would share some facts about diabetes and what it is like to live with on a daily basis, to hopefully raise some awareness and set the record straight. 

1. There are 2 MAIN Types 
This is perhaps the biggest misunderstanding and area of confusion surrounding diabetes, not helped by the fact that the media only really focuses on one type. Whilst there are a number of different forms of the condition, such as Gestational, Neonatal and Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young, the 2 main types are Type 1 and Type 2.

Type 1- where the body produces very little or no insulin, which means that people with this type need regular insulin injections everyday for the rest of their lives. It can also be known as Juvenile Diabetes/Early Onset Diabetes as it most commonly develops in childhood and teenage years. Insulin is administered either using a syringe/insulin pen, or via a pump which is attached to the body. As this is the type I suffer with I currently have to have at least 4 injections a day, yet it can quite often be more depending on my blood sugar levels and what I have eaten. 

Type 2- where the body does not make enough insulin or cannot use it properly. This type of diabetes is constantly being reported in the news as it is linked to obesity, however there are actually a number of different factors that can cause the development of Type 2, including age (being over 40), ethnicity (being of South Asian, Chinese or African-Caribbean origin) and genetics. It can normally be controlled with diet, weight loss and regular exercise, however tablets and insulin injections may be needed in some cases. 

2. It is a Serious Condition
I don't think some people actually realise how serious a condition diabetes is and I sometimes feel like it is a bit of a forgotten about disease, despite the fact that more people have diabetes in the UK than Cancer and Dementia combined. There are around 4 million people living with diabetes in the UK and a further 590,000 people who are undiagnosed. This equates to more than 1 in 16 people who have diabetes in the UK and, with around 700 people being diagnosed each day, it is therefore an extremely serious chronic condition affecting a lot of people. 

 3. It Can Cause Many Symptoms
Whilst most of the time I can just get on with my day to day life without too many complications caused by my diabetes there are some days where it is more of a struggle than others, which I don't think some people sometimes realise. When my blood sugar goes low (known as hypoglycemia), I often get symptoms such as shakiness, dizziness, pins and needles, sweating, going pale and an intense "black hole" of hunger, whilst hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) causes symptoms such as blurry vision, increased thirst and urination, and a dry mouth. Aside from this however there are also days where I am physically exhausted, waking up with headaches and nausea, especially after erratic blood sugar levels overnight. 

4. "Diabetes is Caused By Eating Too Much Sugar"
If I had to pick the biggest myth and wrong assumption about diabetes that I have heard or been asked numerous times over the years, it would definitely be "Diabetes is caused by eating too much sugar." Now, I'm not blaming anyone who thinks that consuming an excess amount of sugar leads to the development of diabetes, especially with all of the memes and jokes floating around on the internet implying otherwise, but I personally think it is extremely important that it is made clear that this is not how diabetes is caused. 

With Type 1 diabetes, the immune system destroys the insulin making cells in the pancreas, which is known as an autoimmune reaction. It is thought that this reaction could be caused by a viral/bacterial infection, chemical toxins in the blood, or even an underlying genetic disposition. Type 2 on the other hand is thought to be most likely caused by a family history of the disease, with a number of risk factors as I mentioned previously, such as age, weight and ethnicity, increasing the chances of the development of the disease. 

Obviously, a diet high in sugar is bad for anyone and can lead you to become overweight/obese, which is a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, however, it would be wrong to say that eating too much sugar causes the condition as there are numerous other factors that can contribute to the disease.
 
5. "Does Having Diabetes Mean You Can't Eat Sugar?" 
Again this was a question that I was constantly asked, especially at school, and I can actually understand why people would think this, but I am going to set the record straight and say 'No, people with diabetes can eat sugar!' Diabetics should have a healthy and balanced diet low in salt, fat and sugar just like any individual, however we are still allowed and are able to eat pretty much whatever we want, in moderation, as long as we administer the right amount of insulin to keep our blood sugar levels controlled and in range. 

For more information regarding the condition and to find out how you can get involved this week, you can check out https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Get_involved/Diabetes-Week/

Thank you for reading,

Megan