To whom it may concern:
This article is a missive for ALL those who use their public position, power and audience in public and the media to use words like “diabetes” and “diabetic” as pejoratives-while spreading catchy memes, rife with misinformation that ultimately make it harder for us actually LIVING with diabetes to be healthy. Feeding the stereotype that we are in some way to blame-whether through diet or laziness-is not only insulting and wrong, it’s dangerous. It bolsters barriers to healthcare that are built on the idea that ‘they can just exercise more and not need the medication’.
I wish I could have written this open letter earlier when all the noise was going around on Twitter. Instead I’ve been grinding my teeth all day at my job-and so anyone who is sensitive to a few expletives, please take note before reading further that I chose not to sensor my thoughts too heavily in this post. You see, I write on nights and weekends when I’m not working my real job-a job that I am lucky to have because it provides me with health insurance that I need to stay alive because I live with diabetes. I can’t just run more-or eat better. I actually lived an entire year where I climbed every single day consecutively to test this theory-but that is another story.
I am writing to you as someone who has worked their whole adult life in fitness and health education and once I am done with this exercise in futility, I am going to step away from my desk and spend my remaining minutes of daylight running. It’s hard to pay for the medications that I need to live life as an athlete with diabetes-and misinformation about my condition is, in part, responsible for that problem. So let’s start with this: sugar doesn’t cause diabetes. I’m not defending sugar in this piece, mind you, I am defending the character of millions of people like myself who live with BOTH types of diabetes.
You see, part of the difficulty of being healthy is overcoming the stereotypes about people with diabetes-that’s a big part of why insurance is a pain in the ass to get and why there is a lack of urgency for supporting diabetes research in the public. It’s because people and companies like yours use the challenge of our medical condition as marketing-as a catch all dirty word that sends the message loud and clear that “We got diabetes and it’s our own damn fault”. That is the misinformation that I struggle to correct every f-ing day of my life. I have about 1800 followers on Twitter, and that’s including the bots and spam accounts, but I use every bit of my digital reach to make sure there is support and awareness of the reality of life with diabetes and that we can still live a good life and be healthy.
Then I see people like you, blasting out the exact opposite message to the world, to your 250 some thousand followers who will further carry the “It’s your own damn fault” message out, far and wide, reinforcing the terms ‘diabetes’ as dirty, guilty, shameful words. I am including this image which I recognize is not from Crossfit but it’s recent and relevant and helps illustrate the attitude that is so unhealthy. Granted the guy who posted it is named “Avocado”, but it got over 50k “likes” on Facebook, so I think it’s worth noting, at least in passing.
You want to know something? I UNDERSTAND the point of your little meme(s) was to say that sugar sucks and is bad for us. It’s bad for me with diabetes and it’s bad for you without diabetes. I agree with that! I eat 100% plant based whole foods only because I refuse to accept that strength and good health are not mutually exclusive to life with diabetes. That’s ZERO refined sugars. Can’t you send the message of eating healthy and being fit without slagging off millions of people who have had the misfortune of shitty genetics? I don’t have a billion twitter followers like you, but I manage to balance this approach working off hours. Maybe that’s why I don’t have the audience on social media. What I say and do is pretty niche-which is ok, I can live with that because I am not interested in just making 140 character generalizations about groups of people. I am trying to help create better resources for people like me who won’t give up their right to good health because our parents (God love them) had a few bad genes.
I want the world to be healthy. I want everyone to be fit and eat better. I do NOT want that to happen at the expense of public education about diabetes because that undermines our ability to get medication and drive research forward. When the public is misinformed, innocent people are marginalized and suffer. Innocent people face a harder and harder battle to gain the tools they need to care for their disease and actually come into the fold of health conscious athletes that you claim to represent.
I am an athlete. I am a climber. I live with diabetes. I didn’t ask for this condition and I didn’t eat too much sugar. If having a big audience requires you to feed stereotypes instead of challenging them, I guess I will have to accept that as the difference between us and take my contentment from knowing that I am making an impact on my remote and minuscule tip of the tip of the iceberg.
These statements are 100% my own opinion and in no way reflect the position of my employers. Just so we are all clear…
Well hell I don’t even have bad genes… I’m a fluke accident caused by a vaccination, but otherwise agree wholeheartedly with the statement
Even more so then!
So true!! My 6yr old is the first in our line to have Type 1..No genetics here. His Endocronologist said it was from a virus that attacked his pancreas..
Type1 is complex…and your story matches my own in many regards but the virus attacking the pancreas is triggered through genetic means. The virus is the catalyst-in many cases it’s the coxsackie virus, at least I’ve heard that, and it was for me.
Unfortunately, the greater points of this issue, including some well established withing the medical community, are missed in the rhetoric of this article. The distinction between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes is significant and bears clarification. While “sugar” never caused anyone’s diabetes, innumerable scholarly articles suggest that diet and exercise do correlate with Type 2 (which is close to 95% of diabetics).
And while some Type 1’s may condemn their “bad genes,” many have no family history of the disease. In fact, the scientific community largely agrees that Type 1 diabetes is likely the result of a viral trigger.
While it’s disappointing that Crossfit has missed the boat on this (and in doing so has perpetuated ignorant and harmful beliefs about diabetes), I don’t think this article is entirely honest. Type 2 diabetes can certainly impact people who are not obese, who eat well, and who exercise, but according to the World Health Organization, the epidemic of diabetes can “be traced back to rapid increases in overweight, including obesity and physical inactivity.”
Everyone who suffers from disease-any disease- deserves the opportunity to have health insurance that allows them to manage it. But what doesn’t sit right with me is the very real truth that no amount of plant-based whole foods will cause your pancreas to produce insulin. The same cannot be said, however, for those with Type 2 (an oversimplification, I know, but you see my point).
I wish there were two different names for these diseases that are truly very different. And I’m glad you’re shining light on a dark spot in society’s collective (mis)understanding. But it didn’t feel right to me not to acknowledge some incomplete truths.
I’m not a scientist but I say it like I see it. Call it rhetoric, I call it a colossal double standard in the public. If you look at my writing over the entirety of the site, I recognize the harm in sugar consumption. That’s not the point. No one makes cancer memes despite the scholarly articles linking it with artificial sweeteners and yes, even sugar. Diabetes is easy to vilify because the public views it as something worthy of blame. I know fit type twos and obese type1s-and obese people who have no diabetes of any kind. And for the record, if you find any “complete” truths on the Internet, I’d love to hear about it. Thanks for your attention to detail though, I will agree that your rebuttal seems factually accurate albeit off the point that I am making.
Steve, I agree that the double standard is colossal and think I understand your point. Any time I read about this topic, I see it as an opportunity to clarify public perception and really hammer home the distinction. The incomplete part I was referring to is specific to the distinction between the (albeit tricky and complicated) genetic basis for both types. The best info I’ve read on it is from Joslin (http://www.joslin.org/info/genetics_and_diabetes.html) which clarifies a bit (or perhaps only better describes the lack of clarity?). Just frustrating to see my T1 kiddo take a deep breath and explain to the curious public what “that thing” on her arm is and if she has to wear it because she ate too many sweets. For the record, I’ve never posted on public forums like this before now, but this Crossfit nonsense has me utterly compelled. Even got a twitter specifically for this purpose!
That’s totally fair-and I appreciate the clarification. It’s something I’m constantly learning about too! It’s hard (as you state) to try to reign in the public who won’t grasp the finer points to help but can do harm by shaming via generalism. So complicated! But in any case I’m happy you’re here now and part of the conversation!
I am a pretty healthy T1, A1C of 5.0, 230lb, I exercise some, but because I am a T1, I feel like I am basically already dead. Partly because of public apathy, partly because of how expensive insurance and medication is, partly because there is no cure. If I run out/ cannot afford more/stop taking/take too much insulin, I will die. I am hanging on to support my family as long as I can. That is what keeps me going.
That’s a valid point Drew, it’s a constant battle and more empathy can only help. It’s hard enough knowing that you can do everything right and still succumb.
The comment about “those with no family link”: any condition that is autoimmune is a link for Type 1 diabetes to come from within a family. I have no other T1s in my family, but there are plenty of other autoimmune conditions about, such as underactive thyroid.
Like I said in a previous comment, I’m not a scientist but that logic seems sound to me.
My father, also an athlete (runner, swimmer, cyclist, and equestrian) developed type1 in his 50s and died from DKA and non diagnosis. Crossfits generalities on this disease is not only naive but disgusting.
There are underlying social perceptions of diabetes that lead to this-I think that will be my next blog. This statement, I believe, wasn’t made out of malice but out of well meaning ignorance which really is the worst part. Having a fringe hate group spouting pejoratives can be dismissed; having recognized health figures spreading misinformation that they think is saving lives but really creating more problems is way worse.
I didn’t know what Type 1 Diabetes was nor the distinction between the two until a learning curve hit me like a mack truck two years ago. There has not been a day. And I mean a day - that I have not heard the same strife and rife about the misnomer of the word and world of Diabetes.
I do believe, however, that it would do our energy good to move our power forward in a positive fashion to empower and educate rather than to attack and eradicate those that are misinformed.
Albeit, our frustration, I think we can use our power and positiveness to do just that. Eventually the lesser known man is heard within the masses.
Mission
Agreed. That’s why LivingVertical exists. Using positive energy to showcase and promote a healthy active life for people with diabetes who are on that path. At the same time it’s my responsibility to advocate our community when misinformation is spreading that makes it harder for us to use positivity to reach the masses. I have no desire to eradicate anyone. A simple apology from the gang at crossfit would go a long way and would help correct the damage.
The point being that we get upset with the masses that are unaware and uneducated. How can they apologize if they do not know. Perhaps then with our positive guidance they may hang their heads in shame or stupidity or best a new sense of awareness.
I get your point and it’s one I’ve made many times myself, so no argument there’s I think that this situation is different and the point we agree on doesn’t quite apply because crossfit isn’t a hapless celebrity who wouldn’t be expected to know better; crossfit is a leader in health and fitness and a major influence on society on these issues so they need to be held to a higher standard, but that said, I feel like the community had its say and made the point. Now we have to move on and keep going because we must…
How is nobody talking about the tag line they used?? Do none of you know a diabetic that has died due to diabetes? A loved one maybe? Because I do. One of my best friends from high school passed away a year after we graduated. A 19 year old athlete dead due to diabetes. And they’re getting away with saying, “pour some out for your dead homies”?
Luke, I am so sorry to hear that. I personally don’t know anyone who has passed from diabetes so I didn’t think it was my place to say that at the moment, but that is a very sobering and well made point.
So astute. I looked away from the computer more than a few times and thought, “Yeah, that’s it. That’s exactly how I feel emotionally about this.” Thanks Steve.
Thank you! I’m glad it resonated and that I didn’t go too far or pull back too hard either. Balance is tricky!
My brother died when he was 36 y.o. Type 1 Juvenile onset diabetes. Kidney failure, kidney transplant, blindness, eyeball enucliation, gangrene, bilateral leg amputations. Yes it started at about age 12 and progressed to death at age 36 of septicemia after years of the aforementioned atrocities. Please whatever rhetoric is being tossed about, just take care of yourself both before and after diagnoses of type 1 or type 2 because this is the horror you may have to endure if you do not. R.I.P. David Magneson. A vibrant life and personality take away way too early by a horrible disease.
That is a powerful and sobering reminder of how serious this is. Thank you for being open and sharing that part of your life. It’s very important and I appreciate it.
You are welcome.
Hey, there, thanks for the post. My 14 year old daughter is a rock climber and also a type 1 diabetic. She’s at diabetes camp right now but I can’t wait to show her your blog when she returns. Thanks for the open letter to @crossfit. As you said, an exercise in futility for sure, but someone linked to it and that’s how I found your blog. So, that’s good 🙂
Wonderful! I agree, the cloud was not without its silver linings.
I know I’m seeing this post a year late (I just found your podcast and this blog), but thank-you for saying something! For the most part, I’m conditioned to assume anything public said about diabetes should have “type 2” stamped in front of it. I was diagnosed at 18 yrs old, but my mom is also a T1 diabetic, so I have had lifelong exposure to the disease. I remember when I was about 7 or so, running up to my mom all excited about some pill I heard about on a commercial that could help her with her diabetes… She sat me down and calmly explained that they were talking about a different kind of diabetes. And so, I have my speil all rehearsed for anyone who asks about the omnipod on my arm, or why I have to test my blood sugar all the time, and eat the way I do - my biggest pet peeve is when people think that T1 is just a worse form of T2… all because their grandpa had to go on insulin injections when he couldn’t keep his blood sugar down. I know it’s not their fault, it’s just mis-information. The sad part is the shaming doesn’t do anything to help the cause for T2 diabetes either. What does are opportunities for increased dialogue, which is only possible through our relationships. For example, in my office, I’ve had people who were just diagnosed with T2 come to me for help. I can show them the absolute values in my numbers to help them get a grasp on different foods, activity, stress, etc and how those might affect their numbers and helps them make sense of whatever their doctor told them to do. We’re all in this together. I hate sugar, and HFCS, and all the “healthy” foods with lots of sugars in it - the memes out there on social media do nothing to educate people about the issues with the standard american diet.
Thanks for writing this Erica! I get what you mean and I think you put a really great perspective on the t1/t2 issue about the importance of differentiating where it’s relevant but not placing the cart before the horse!