I'm not a good blogger, but I hope this one catches someone's eye and can pass it on as an educational tool and I also hope that this can be used as a support structure for others like me. Others with Type I Diabetes.
I have been provoked to write this. Paula Dean and her infamy have caused me a lot of trouble in the past few weeks, and it is my goal to educate people in the differences between Type I Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes, and Metabolic Syndrome.
I am sick and tired of being accused of having diabetes. I HAD NO CHOICE! I'm a victim of disease. I did not ask for it, and I sure as, well, did not eat myself into it.
So, I begin my teachings with a basic definition of the three, and I'll get on my high horse later when I'm not so angry
I have decided to use The Mayo Clinic's definitions -
"Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes,
is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces no insulin, a
hormone needed to allow sugar (glucose) to enter cells to produce energy. Various factors may contribute to type 1 diabetes, including genetics and
exposure to certain viruses." (Notice that it says nothing of diet. That's because it is classified as an autoimmune disease).
"Type 2 diabetes, which is far more common, occurs when the body becomes
resistant to the effects of insulin or doesn't make enough insulin." "There's no cure for type 2 diabetes, but you can manage — or even prevent —
the condition. Start by eating well, exercising and maintaining a healthy
weight. If diet and exercise aren't enough to control your type 2 diabetes, you
may need diabetes medications or insulin therapy to manage your blood sugar."
"Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions — increased blood pressure, a
high blood sugar level, excess body fat around the waist or abnormal cholesterol
levels — that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and
diabetes.
Having just one of these conditions doesn't mean you have metabolic syndrome.
However, any of these conditions increase your risk of serious disease. If more
than one of these conditions occur in combination, your risk is even greater."
