I think it’s time that T2Ds were more open & direct about their diabetes and how it affects their lives.
We’re such a docile, placid group it seems to me, acting almost like we’re feeling guilty we “allowed ourselves” to get this disease. It’s our own fault. Well, I think that’s crap. I don’t think we need to put on the hairshirt for having type 2 diabetes; there’s no reason for any guilt. Maybe regret - if we only knew then what we know now.
I’m not a doctor, and I don’t read much in the diabetes research area, but it appears to me that getting type 2 diabetes is no more the person’s fault than getting cancer, or heart disease, or flat feet or being ugly. Sure, there’s things you can do and things you shouldn’t do, to lessen the chance of getting type 2 diabetes. I don’t argue with that. However, causation is complex: fault-finding or guilt-placing isn’t useful to us.
I find it almost amusing, if not tragic, the way some people have misinterpreted & misapplied recent health studies. They think they can live forever and/or avoid serious diseases if they just get fit, give up meat, eat raw food, take flax oil, gobble up chemical or herbal supplements, or whatever new whiz bang silver bullet they’re trying to hook unto to live forever, without growing old.
So, for these people, since we know a sedentary existence increases the likelihood of getting type 2 diabetes, then obviously people with type 2 diabetes were just lazy and ate too much. They’re so stupid, stupid, stupid. In a radio interview, I actually heard a type 1 diabetic dismiss type 2 diabetics as a “lifestyle” thing! Neat and simple logic.
Well, I’m not proud of being a T2D, & I recognize I could have avoided this state by changing my eating habits and exercising more some years ago. I know that, OK? But so what, where does that get me now? Lots of things happen to lots of people due to mistakes, errors of judgment, accidents, twists of fate, bad genes and good genes, and just shit luck.
I think we need to get past those judgmental attitudes towards type 2 diabetes. It interferes with getting on with useful, open discussions. And I mean we type 2 diabetics need to get past those attitudes ourselves first of all.
So, let’s discard our reticence, and not be so shy about admitting that we have type 2 diabetics for a start. I’m not saying we take to the streets and yell at passersby or anything. We can talk to each other honestly & without prejudice to anyone. Let’s be selfish about it; we’re the centre of the universe at this blog. And oh yeah, how ‘bout that Canadian Junior Hockey Team winning gold against the Ruskies!
We’re such a docile, placid group it seems to me, acting almost like we’re feeling guilty we “allowed ourselves” to get this disease. It’s our own fault. Well, I think that’s crap. I don’t think we need to put on the hairshirt for having type 2 diabetes; there’s no reason for any guilt. Maybe regret - if we only knew then what we know now.
I’m not a doctor, and I don’t read much in the diabetes research area, but it appears to me that getting type 2 diabetes is no more the person’s fault than getting cancer, or heart disease, or flat feet or being ugly. Sure, there’s things you can do and things you shouldn’t do, to lessen the chance of getting type 2 diabetes. I don’t argue with that. However, causation is complex: fault-finding or guilt-placing isn’t useful to us.
I find it almost amusing, if not tragic, the way some people have misinterpreted & misapplied recent health studies. They think they can live forever and/or avoid serious diseases if they just get fit, give up meat, eat raw food, take flax oil, gobble up chemical or herbal supplements, or whatever new whiz bang silver bullet they’re trying to hook unto to live forever, without growing old.
So, for these people, since we know a sedentary existence increases the likelihood of getting type 2 diabetes, then obviously people with type 2 diabetes were just lazy and ate too much. They’re so stupid, stupid, stupid. In a radio interview, I actually heard a type 1 diabetic dismiss type 2 diabetics as a “lifestyle” thing! Neat and simple logic.
Well, I’m not proud of being a T2D, & I recognize I could have avoided this state by changing my eating habits and exercising more some years ago. I know that, OK? But so what, where does that get me now? Lots of things happen to lots of people due to mistakes, errors of judgment, accidents, twists of fate, bad genes and good genes, and just shit luck.
I think we need to get past those judgmental attitudes towards type 2 diabetes. It interferes with getting on with useful, open discussions. And I mean we type 2 diabetics need to get past those attitudes ourselves first of all.
So, let’s discard our reticence, and not be so shy about admitting that we have type 2 diabetics for a start. I’m not saying we take to the streets and yell at passersby or anything. We can talk to each other honestly & without prejudice to anyone. Let’s be selfish about it; we’re the centre of the universe at this blog. And oh yeah, how ‘bout that Canadian Junior Hockey Team winning gold against the Ruskies!
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