It's Always Sunny in Philidelphia

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005). A popular TV sitcom starring Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney, and Kaitlin Olson, about a neighborhood bar, friends, work, and relationships. A popular show bound to make viewers laugh.

Now, you may be wondering, what does this show from ten years ago have anything to do with a Diabetic blog?! Well, as someone who recently visited Philadelphia, I can tell you without a doubt that it is not always sunny there. And similarly to the way It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia misguides viewers about what Philadelphia is really like, the internet has misguided many people about what diabetes is, also.

With that said, this post will be about some common misconceptions/myths about diabetes, and how I want to clear them up!

1. Diabetics can't eat sweets/you get diabetes from being fat or eating a lot

• I can say without a doubt that this is the BIGGEST misconception about diabetes! Before I dive into my explanation about all the levels that this is wrong on, let me ask my readers one thing first - DO I LOOK FAT?

• If you replied yes, which is 150% okay if you did, that's fine! But based on my experience and life, I have never considered myself to be "fat." And because of that, many people have been confused by how I, a regular sized Asian girl, who has had diabetes her whole life, could be diabetic!

Truth: While Type 2 Diabetes can be [partially] caused by factors having to do with someone being fat (for example, their eating habits or lack of exercise), Type 1 Diabetes, aka the one that I have, has nothing to do with someone's weight or diet. Let me write that one more time just incase someone skimmed over the words: Type 1 Diabetes has nothing to do with someone's weight or diet. The fact is that doctors and scientists still don't know why someone is diagnosed with T1D, but that they need medication to stay alive!

2. Diabetics can't live an "active" lifestyle because of their disease.

• Although I may not be the best and/or fastest runner, I may not have been the soccer MVP, or ballet dancer of the year (I was in ballet from age 5-5 1/2), I do consider myself a pretty active person.

Truth: While diabetes may make it harder for me to go for long runs and causes me to stress a bit, it doesn't limit what I can do, including having a healthy and active lifestyle! Diabetes just adds a few more obstacles, but it makes me a stronger and better person!

3. Diabetes is deadly, diabetes is contagious, diabetes is a choice.

• All three of these myths are wrong on so many levels.

Truth: While it may be tiring, exhausting, and stressful to have diabetes, it is not causing me to die or be in a harmful situation! I was diagnosed with diabetes at age 3, and have had to live with it since then. However, I don't let it take over my life (or kill me), and neither do other diabetics!

4. Diabetics shouldn't/can't have kids and/or get pregnant.

• As someone who has over twenty younger cousins, I can safely say that I enjoy hanging out with little kids and I hope to have a child of my own one day... and diabetes sure as well won't be stopping me!

Truth: It is important to control diabetes to ensure that your child won't be harmed in any way. However, like having any disease, there are risks involved, but if managed correctly nothing should go wrong and there should be no problem with having a child!

While I myself haven't been confronted and really asked many misconceptions about diabetes by my peers, over the many years I have had diabetes, I have constantly heard and read about these kinds of misconceptions. I hope that by reading this post, you all learned a little something about diabetes!