You Have Diabetes Because You Ate Too Many Sweets, Right?

Wrong! There are numerous reasons as to why someone has diabetes. With Type 1 Diabetes it may be because they had a virus when the were younger, hereditary  reasons... the list goes on. But I know for sure I didn't get it because I ate too much candy. With type 2 probable causes include poor lifestyle and diet choices combined.

The other night I went to see 'Hansel and Gretal - Witch Hunters'. (Hence the picture of the gingerbread house). The film was about a brother and sister that went around fighting witches and doing good in the "fight against evil". The story was very similar to the original. Where by the childhood versions of Hansel and Gretal were sent into the woods by their parents, when they came accross a gingerbread house where an old witch lived. The witch tried to fatten them up with candy, so she could eat them.

Throughout the film adult Hansel keeps injecting an 'unnamed substance'. Because of a 'condition' caused by eating too much candy. Whilst done in reasonabley good humour, this type of portrayal in films doesn't help fight the stereotypes associated with diabetes. In my 11 years with the condition I've heard so many silly stereotypes, especially being a sports person. Stereotypes such as;

-People with diabetes can't do sport

-People with diabetes are allergic to sugar

-People with diabetes can't eat fruit

... And the list goes on

A few years ago I went to the Welsh Assembly building (the Welsh version of Parliament) with the charity organisation Diabetes UK. The aim was to hold a drop-in clinic for assembly ministers that they could visit when they finished in session. We were then able to talk to them about dispelling the myths associated with people who have diabetes conditions.

As the law movers and shakers in Wales, it was important to let them know the truth about the condition. I went along in my national sports kit, and the assembly members I met were very responsive to what we had to say. And I hope they remember the truth as they legislate for us into the future.

The future looks set to see an awful lot more people be effected with the condition. So it's important that those of us with the condition now pave the way for better awareness of diabetes in the future.