Type 1 Diabetes Causes – Myths And Facts

What Causes Type 1 Diabetes?

Even with the modern technology and information available today, Type 1 Diabetes causes remain a mystery to the medical world. There is no one certain cause that can be linked to the onset of diabetes. However, there are certain factors that are present among the majority of the people who have been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the body’s defense system attacks and destroys its own cells. In Type 1 Diabetes, the immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that make insulin, which is a hormone that is used by the body to convert sugars and carbohydrates into the energy that is needed for your body to maintain its normal function. Once these cells are destroyed, the body does not produce enough insulin to convert the sugars and carbohydrates that are consumed. This can lead to other, life threatening illnesses and diseases.

It is believed that one Type 1 Diabetes cause is genetics. Some people may be genetically inclined to develop the disease and viruses such as Coxsackie, rubella, and mumps can trigger the onset of the disease. The Type 1 Diabetes cause is not the viral infection, however the infection may trigger the symptoms of the disease. In other words, in people who are predisposed to contract diabetes, the disease may lay dormant until triggered by one of the factors that are believed to cause the onset of the symptoms.

What Does Not Cause Type 1 Diabetes

When a disease that is as prevalent in society as Type 1 Diabetes has no known cause, myths become a part of the mystery. Human intelligence demands that we know a definite cause for all diseases and events, and in the absence of something that we can definitively “put our hands on”, it is human nature to find something in our lives that may cause the disease. Here are some of the myths surrounding Type 1 Diabetes causes:

• Eating two much sugar causes diabetes – this myth is based on the fact that diabetes involves a high content of sugars in your blood. Consuming too much sugar can trigger the onset of some of the symptoms of diabetes, however, the cause of the disease is not the intake of too much sugar.
• Stress causes diabetes – while stress can trigger some of the symptoms of diabetes, stress does not cause the disease.
• Diabetes can be caught from another person – diabetes is not a contagious disease and cannot be transferred from one person to another.

While there are many myths surrounding Type 1 Diabetes causes, there are just as many that involve the management of the disease. It is often believed that people who have been diagnosed with diabetes can never consume foods that contain sugars or starches, however these foods can be consumed within a healthy diet plan. Diet and other factors do not cause diabetes, but are often the triggers that cause the onset of the disease and the symptoms that alert you to the possibility of being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

Since one of the prevalent Type 1 Diabetes causes is genetics, there are certain things that a person can do in order to delay or possibly even prevent the onset of the disease. If your family has a history of diabetes, the best way to accomplish this is to lead a healthy lifestyle that includes a healthy diet and regular exercise. Starting a healthy diet as early in life as possible not only reduces the risk of the onset of diabetes symptoms, but also can reduce the risk of obesity and the illnesses and complications that are associated with obesity. While eating a healthy diet and maintaining a regular exercise regimen may not guarantee that the disease will remain dormant forever, it will help you to better manage the disease once the symptoms begin – and give you a chance to maintain a normal lifestyle. Knowledge and preparation is often the key to success.