A request.
Ok kiddos - I've got a request. Don't ask me, "Is this something you can eat?"
Please.
Let's try instead, "Is this something you want to eat?"
When I get asked the former, I feel put in a diabetic box. Like I have no say in my food choices and I'm just stuck with sugar-free candy and cheese sticks for the rest of my days. And frankly, I'm not a fan of that.
Because Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease (rather than a metabolic disease), I can truly eat whatever I want. I just have to offset whatever I eat with the appropriate amount of insulin. As a result, there are certain items that I now choose not to eat, simply because it is easier or I don't like how my blood sugar rises (despite insulin offset) when I have them.
For example, on average I take about 5-8 units of insulin when I have a meal and if I choose wisely - that can be a lot of food - yummy veggies, tasty proteins, and even a sweet. On the flipside however, if I just choose whatever, then that 5-8 units might only coverage a couple pieces of french bread that come before the meal is even served. Thus I choose to skip the french bread in favor of a full meal and a smaller dose of insulin. There's also super sugary drinks, such as a margarita, that despite insulin offset, will send my blood sugar through the roof and clear into the sludgy 200s (mg/dL), resulting in a groggy, irritable Michelle - which, let's face it - no one is a big fan of. And thus, I have myself a glass of wine instead and skip the high.
If you have been a person to ask me the dreaded question I ask you now to rephrase - please know that I understand that you are asking from a place of concern and trying to comprehend how my lifestyle has been modified. And know that I appreciate that you care.
Let's just not do it again, shall we? ;)