So you have heard of type 1 diabetes due to destruction of the islet cells in the pancreas, usually diagnosed in children with a peak age of onset at about age 12.

Today I am going to share my story of living with diabetes, and some of the challenges and positive changes that I’ve encountered. I also will speak to the intersection of trauma and its effects on living with a chronic illness.

Today I want to talk about the most recent “cure” for type 2 diabetes. A lot has been in the media regarding the benefit of gastric bypass surgery and its ability to “make diabetes go away”. I think it is really important to make sure we have the facts straight.

If you are a close family member of the individual with diabetes that you support, you are automatically at risk of developing the condition. If you are just a close friend of the person, but are of the same high-risk ethnic descent, you are similarly at risk.

As a social worker I meet individuals who have diabetes in counseling sessions and in educational classes. In each setting we talk about the emotional roller coaster ride these individuals may go through

Lifestyle choices or health behaviours, as they are called now, can make a significant difference to life expectancy for all of us, but even more so for a person living with diabetes.

The link between heavy alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease is quite clear. Drinking to excess can raise the levels of some fats (triglycerides) in the blood.