Hey, everyone! As a type 1 diabetic in the Fandom, I see a whole lot of misinformation about diabetes, as a whole. So I'm gonna break it down and explain what diabetes actually is, as it can be a little daunting to get it all at first.

So, there are 2 types of diabetes, type 1 and 2, and both have to do with the pancreas. Both types of diabetes are chronic diseases that affect the way your body regulates blood sugar, or glucose.

Glucose is like fuel. It feeds your body’s cells, but to enter your cells it

needs a key. Insulin is that key.

95% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, which develops when someone produces insulin, but their body doesn't respond very well. This type / can possibly / be reversable with diet and exercise, and typically occurs later in life, but

is still life threatening if not taken care of properly.

Type 1 diabetes, the kind that I have, is often called juvenile diabetes, is extremely rare, typically presents before the age of 18, and is extreemly life threatening.

It is also entirely genetic, meaning there is

nothing a type 1 diabetic can do to stop or reverse this kind of autoimmune disease, as the pancreas itself stops producing all insulin when the body sees the pancreas as a foreign body and attacks it's cells.

For the past 7 years, I have had to count every carbohydrate for

every single thing I eat or drink.

There are no vacations, no weekends, no breaks from diabetes. Ever. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks. Everything I eat, everything i drink is painstakingly calculated to keep me alive.

I have to know how many carbs I intake so I can take

the correct amount of insulin to process that food into energy!

But making any mistakes can be deadly, as a being off by even a single unit of insulin can be life threatening very fast.

Because of the severity of it, and how hard I have to fight to stay alive despite this

disease, it is very hurtful to see people making light of the severity of it, saying that they are "eating a bowl of diabetes" or are going to "catch diabetes" if they eat something somewhat unhealthy, which is just entirely untrue.

Saying that can be deeply hurtful, and

perpetuates the stereotype that one develops diabetes because they are unhealthy, or because of their choices.

With how few people actually have type 1 diabetes, it is completely understandable not to know a lot about the differences! I didn't know myself until I was

diagnosed at 15. But it doesn't make it any less important to stop perpetuating the harmful stereotype that all diabetics are diabetic because they eat unhealthy or don't take care of their bodies.

So, maybe, the next time someone you know says something untrue about

diabetes, speak up! It's okay not to know, but the world will be a little brighter if we all do our best to spread awareness!