Sugar

A Type 2 Diabetes ‘Shake?’

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Last weekend, we were on the hunt for a dog friendly café to keep this little guy entertained.

My sister suggested a place, before casually mentioning to me that they had a ‘type 2 shake’ on the menu.

What, is that like a health shake or something? I asked.

No, it’s actually a shake that’s got lots of sugar in it, she replied.

We eventually drove there to find the place closed.

After we had driven elsewhere and I was finally caffeinated, I began googling this place in search of a menu. Indeed, it was an indulgent shake that the user was encouraged to try ‘at your own risk.’ I then migrated over to Facebook, where I eventually found a recent post promoting the menu item in question.

I was so frustrated. Yeah, they had specified the type of diabetes, but that wasn’t the point.

Nobody intentionally asks to get diabetes.

We all know that sugary treats in excess aren’t good for us. We all know that in excess they may eventually lead to obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

But that isn’t always necessarily the case.

We also know that some people are genetically predisposed to developing type 2 through things like family histories or previous gestational diabetes. Others are ethnically or geographically predisposed to developing type 2 diabetes. Then there are those who don’t have an equal chance because they may lack things like the basic education or quality healthcare that I take for granted.

The last thing that people living with diabetes need is reminders that make them feel guilty, blamed or shamed for their choices.

The last thing that people living with diabetes need are messages that further stigmatise a condition that is already surrounded by, you guessed it, a great deal of stigma!

Yet here was this shake that was making a mockery of people with diabetes. I’d be willing to bet that a Cancer shake would never appear on the menu, so I don’t know why the owners of this cafe felt that diabetes was okay to joke about.

So, back to that Facebook post. You bet I left a comment on it. There was no swearing or personal attacking in said comment. But it was a little strongly worded – something I regret in hindsight – indicating that blaming, shaming and stigmatising was not helpful to people with diabetes.

24 hours later, a notification popped up in my Facebook feed. I was expecting some kind of acknowledgement or explanation.

But nothing could have prepared me for the response I received in return.

To paraphrase, I’m a miserable troll who should pull my head in and stop being a keyboard warrior (they obviously had no idea who I was). This ‘type 2 shake’ was apparently a ‘statement’ that the sugar it contains is not good for you. But what do I know, apparently type 2 diabetes is a great catchline to sell a product!

With no time for such negativity in my life, I thanked the café for their kind words. After expressing that it was a shame that they were unable to the larger issue, I wished them a lovely day and bowed out of the conversation.

With every red notification icon that popped up on my Facebook, I was expecting to see others chime in with more ignorant replies to my comment.

Surprisingly, quite the opposite happened.

The diabetes community rallied behind me.

Within a mere three hours, I had at least ten comments on that post in support of what I had said. People were tagging their friends. I honestly don’t think it was the shake itself that was triggering commentary anymore. It was about the sheer ignorance that came from their comment.

Had the Facebook post survived few more hours, and it surely would have gone viral.

But it mysteriously vanished not long after.

While the cafe clearly didn’t like the negative attention that they were getting, I highly doubt that I got my point across given their highly ignorant response.

I can’t really say that it’s worth throwing any more of my energy towards.

I only know that I won’t be going back there again.

Dear Crossfit

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Dear Crossfit,

I must say that I was rather offended by your recent social media posts claiming that sugar causes diabetes.

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I don’t know if you realised, but there are actually TWO completely different types of diabetes. While a diet high in sugar may contribute to type 2 diabetes, there is actually another type of diabetes that has no definitive cause.

Its a little thing called type 1 diabetes. I live with it. And I manage it, to the best of my ability. Every. Single. Day. And there are thousands and thousands of other, mostly young people, who develop this disease each day. There are young children, even babies, who get this horrible disease. There are concerned parents and loved ones who take on the emotional stress of this disease day in, day out.

And please know that they did nothing wrong to deserve it. They weren’t lazy children. They did not get it from spending too much time in front of the television. They did not get it from eating too much junk food. They did not get it from not playing outdoors enough. And they most certainly did not get it from eating too much sugar.

Please know that you attach a stigma to people living with type 1 diabetes. Just one of many stigmas we already face when living and dealing with diabetes in our day to day lives. You are helping others to make assumptions and judgements about me, and about people like me. Assumptions and judgements that are not true, and will have an impact on my own personal feelings and the opportunities that will come my way in life.

And to be completely honest, I’m insulted when I have to hear such disrespectful and untrue statements from companies like yours. You make me feel about this big. And I worry for all of the young, impressionable minds. To the individuals out there who are struggling with the physical and emotional aspects of this disease right now. When they have to hear messages like this, its probably enough to make them give up hope. To stop trying. To stop fighting. To stop aspiring.

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But what bothers me most of all is your ignorance. Any other company would acknowledge that they’ve done wrong. I could even accept that this marketing message wasn’t thought through well enough. But your total ignorance and willingness to continue defending this message is an absolute disgrace.

I, along with every other type 1 diabetic in the world, are waiting for an apology. Even just an acknowledgement that you’ve done wrong would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Frank

 

 

First they Bagged Fat. Then Sugar. Now Carbs.

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I’m going to go on a bit of a rant today. If you don’t agree with this, I completely respect that. We are all different and have different things that work and don’t work with our diabetes. This is only my humble opinion.

Years ago, the experts were bagging fat. So people stopped eating dairy and everyone hopped on the “low fat” bandwagon. Then people started developing osteoporosis and joint pains from a lack of calcium. People began to put on weight and we discovered that the fat in low fat products was replaced with sugar (thanks, That Sugar Film). So although they’ve done a complete backflip on fat, something else has to replace it in the firing line, right?

Carbs. Yes, now it seems to be the carbohydrates coming under attack. The biggest indicator of this was the changes made to the Food Pyramid last week (click here to read more). Foods like breads, cereals and pastas were demoted to the ‘moderate’ section of the pyramid, despite previously being deemed healthy.

And to a lesser degree, Fruit. Now I have to hear things like “don’t eat more than 2 pieces of fruit per day” on the news. And why? Because apparently fruit has too much sugar in it. Natural sugar, no less.

And while I’m at it, all those caveman style diets – tell me, how long did the caveman actually used to live back in those days?

And all these allergies we seem to have today – I reckon half the problem is children not being exposed to enough of a variety in their diet.

And the liquid diets – please tell me, how do you not go hungry?

My point being, the experts can never seem to get it right. And I’m sick of being told what I can and can’t eat. Believe me, in a few years they’ll be telling us to eat junk food!

Yes, I am conscious of the sugar, fat and carbohydrate content when making my food choices. But I’ve never tried to cut any of them out completely. And for me, its not realistic. I know myself. I might be able to do it for a few days, maybe a week. And then I’ll just end up falling off of the wagon and binge eating again.

So, you want to know what’s my secret? Everything in moderation. Good knowledge of the foods I eat and their response on my blood sugar levels. Knowing how to respond with insulin. Having a treat every once in a while. Enjoying that restaurant meal. And trying my very best to eat healthy for the rest of the time.

Because if there’s one thing that diabetes will not stop me from doing, its enjoying my food.

That Sugar Film

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After hearing a lot about ‘That Sugar Film’ over the past few weeks, I finally decided to go check it out on Easter Monday and see what all the watercooler chat was about. And after a few weeks of being in a bit of a diabetes slump, it was just the motivation that I needed.

Aussie man Damon Gameau is a healthy young male with a diet consisting of mostly fresh produce and no sugar. He embarks on a diet of seemingly healthy, low fat foods for 60 days in order to expose the effects of the hidden sugars in these foods. Think yoghurt, breakfast cereals, juices, flavoured milks, muesli bars and lots of other processed products. Its a format that reminds me of the ‘Super Size Me’ documentary several years ago.

Without giving the ending away, the results are shocking. Damon’s health deteriorates significantly, both physically and mentally. Basically, he was eating foods that were stripped of their healthy fats and proteins (that help you to feel full and maintain energy) and replaced with sugar. His calorie intake before and during the experiment was exactly the same, and he didn’t even touch any takeaway, fizzy drinks, lollies, chocolate or ice cream. Of course, I did have a few areas of doubt…

  • Damon was an extremely healthy guy, therefore the impact of his experiment would likely be greater as opposed to someone on a more average diet.
  • He seemed to eat home cooked meals 3 times per day (pre experiment), which is impractical for the busy or working person.
  • Damon seemed to ignore carbs like pasta, rice and low GI breads in his normal diet, which are an essential source of energy and assist diabetics to maintain stable blood sugars.
  • Cereals were presented negatively for their higher sugar content, despite being a good source of Iron, Protein and several other nutritional benefits.

Since I’ve had diabetes, I’ve always prioritised the fat content and glycemic index rating on products without really considering sugar. While I think its unrealistic to cut out sugar and processed foods completely, this film was a real eye opener. After a weekend of Easter binge eating, That Sugar Film has motivated me to cut back on sugar for the sake of my diabetes management and long term health. I also liked the health benefits there were to gain, including more energy, less lethargy, healthier skin and reduced sugar cravings – all without any exercise.

Today I resisted hot cross buns and easter chocolate on the staff room table at work, and I went easy on the leftover desert in the fridge at home. The box of biscuits in my desk drawer will be going once they’re finished, and I will be swapping muesli bars for fresh fruit and nuts. And when I begin to falter again, I will remind myself of this film.

That Sugar Film has plenty of intrigue, investigation, eye openers, humour and cringeworthy moments to easily sustain a feature length presentation. It’s had a huge impact on me, so I can only imagine the impact this film will have if it makes its way around the world.

That Sugar Film is currently screening in selected cinemas around Australia and New Zealand. You can watch the trailer below, or visit www.thatsugarfilm.com to find out more.