Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are two very different animals. When most people think diabetes, they are thinking about type 2 diabetes. The treatment for the two types is very different.This leads to lots of confusion, and lots of well-meaning people explaining how their aunt/grandma/father-in-law got rid of diabetes. They just don't know, so let's look at some of the differences:
Thought: Diabetes is caused by a poor diet.
Truth: While type 2 diabetes can be caused by many factors, one of which is potentially a diet high in carbohydrates and sugar, type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. You cannot "cause" it. The patient's immune system gets kicked into overdrive and begins attacking and killing the beta cells in the pancreas.These are the cells that produce the hormone insulin. Doctors are not 100% sure what causes this, but there are some strong connections between viruses, even the common cold, throwing the immune system out of whack (technical term there).
Thought: Diabetics cannot have sugar.
Truth: Many type 2 diabetics control their disease with diet, so they cut out sugar and limit carbohydrates. Type 1 diabetics, however, must take insulin for everything which contains carbohydrates. So while sugar free ice cream, for example, sounds like a good idea, it has carbohydrates from the milk, so the patient still needs insulin. A type 1 diabetic can technically eat anything he wants as long as he takes insulin for it.
Thought: A person can "grow out of" or "get rid of " diabetes.
Truth: There are some type 2 diabetics who, with diet and life-style changes, have managed to eradicate the disease from their bodies. But type 1 diabetics will be diabetic for their entire lives ... or until a cure is found.
Thought: Diabetes can be cured with insulin.
Truth: Daily doses of insulin is a treatment, not a cure.
Thought: Diabetics get used to getting shots.
Truth: No one "gets used to" getting stabbed repeatedly with a needle. No one. And no one "gets used to" repeatedly stabbing his/her kid repeatedly with a needle. No one.
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