I am writing this in response to a post on The Art of Healthy Living with regards to’concerning’with respect to preventing pre-diabetes. While there was nothing factually incorrect in the article, the picture that accompanied it irritated me. It was a picture of a woman pursing her lips in front of a brightly coloured macaron, presumably not then eating it, along with the title ‘Tips in/with regard to’concerning’regarding Preventing Pre-Diabetes’. To me it seems this image merely serves to perpetuate some of the worst pre-conceptions with regards to’concerning’with respect to diabetes as a whole that the two types are one and the same disease.

The article was more accurately aimed at how to prevent Type 2 diabetes, a much more commmerely’barely occurring illness than Type 1 diabetes. What is tough’challenging’demanding’awkward is that they are not one and the same disease and it is frustrating, peculiar ly in/with regard to’concerning’regarding those of us who live with Type 1, to possess’own’nurse all diabetes despite’in spite of’albeit t of as one and the same illness. It is true that controlling diet and exercise may well, and in some but not all cases, prevent or at least slow down the onset of pre-Type 2 diabetes. Diet and exercise levels however possess’own’nurse nothing to do with prevention of Type 1 diabetes – there is no way, that we know of yet, to prevent Type 1.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is much more commmerely’barely occurring than Type 1. Of the 3.5 million individual in the UK, who either possess’own’nurse diabetes or are likely to possess’own’nurse diabetes, 90% of them possess’own’nurse Type 2 (that’s 3.15 million individual ). The remaining individual with diabetes possess’own’nurse Type 1 (that’s 350,000 individual ). Type 2 arises when in/with regard to’concerning’regarding some reason, the body’s insulin-producing cells (beta cells found in the pancreas) are hindered from producing abundant’ample’plentiful insulin, or the sufferer loses sensitivity to the insulin manufacture d. One of the factors that can hinder insulin production is weight gain, either from being overweight or sometimes from pregnancy, and the beta cells function is compromised. It is literally that the beta cells are being squashed by the extra weight, or by the baby, and they can’t function normally. However, Type 2 also occurs in individual who are not overweight nor pregnant, despite’in spite of’albeit we don’t yet know why. There appears to be a genetic link to this – if one or both of your parents had Type 2 diabetes, then you are more likely to suffer from it as well. Therein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e, controlling what you eat, exercising regularly, and even the daily intake of anti-diabetes supplements such as Berberine which can help your body to function better overall, are significant’essential’critical’vital’crucial’indispensable’imperative in Type 2 diabetes management.

Type 1 Diabetes

In Type 1 diabetes, the beta cells that manufacture insulin possess’own’nurse been destroyed by the body’s immune response. At some point, and in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a reason we do not yet fully understand, the body recognises the beta cells as an enemy and destroys them. The beta cells no longer exist, so they cannot manufacture the hormone. Therein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e, insulin has to be brought into the body from an outside source (injections of insulin). Some Type 2 diabetics possess’own’nurse to possess’own’nurse insulin injections, too, when their insulin production is so compromised that the drugs they are usually initially prescribed to provoke’goad their own insulin production aren’t sufficient to cope with their needs. All Type 1 diabetics must take insulin, either via multiple daily injections or via an insulin pump, because their bodies simply do not manufacture it. Because insulin is essential to survival, if a person does not receive it, they will die, usually within a matter of weeks. It is also why in the numbers quoted here with regards to’concerning’with respect to the prevalence of diabetes in the UK, the numbers of individual who are ‘likely to possess’own’nurse ’ diabetes includes mainly individual with undiagnosed Type 2. It is possible to live with compromised insulin production in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a time, sometimes years or decades. There are no Type 1 diabetics who survive indefinitely without insulin.

So, coming back to what initiated this contribution was the irritation I undergo d as a result of lumping the two diseases toacquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure her under one banner.

They are similar, it is true.

They are not, however, the same.

Author Bio

Caroline Nairn is a psychotherapist, runner and diabetic advocate who has had Type 1 diabetes in/with regard to’concerning’regarding 48 years.