Type 1 diabetes - basic notions
Myths
Let's talk about the myths of type 1 diabetes?
Myth 1
“You are diabetic because you ate too much sugar.”
FALSE.
When you have type 1 diabetes, you get asked weird questions or hear funny statements
Myth 2
“Diabetes is a disease that affects overweight people.”
FALSE.
First of all, Type 1 Diabetes is not triggered by diet. In fact the opposite is true; one of the early symptoms of T1D is weight loss, since the child’s cells no longer have access to the energy created by carbohydrate transformation.
Secondly, while obesity has been identified as a risk factor for Type 2 Diabetes and can be aggravated by a high carbohydrate intake, it is not the only factor.
Finally, it is important to understand that Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes have very different causes, even though their symptoms are similar.
Myth 3
“Women with T1D cannot have children.”
Myth 4
“Diabetic children should limit their physical activity.”
T1D children and teenagers can practice their favourite sports, as long as their daily diets and insulin doses are adjusted accordingly.
Many athletes with T1D have accomplished astounding feats in recent years. Take Sébastien Sasseville for instance who ran across Canada, from April to November, 2014, or closer to home, Etienne Masse, who completed his first marathon in August during the Montreal Marathon
