What You Can and Cannot Control

Some parts of diabetes are fixed. Genes, the traits you got from your parents, cannot be changed. Neither can your family history or your age.

Family history works like a weather forecast. It shows a higher chance, not a sure result. Most people with a family history do not develop diabetes.

Food, movement and sleep are daily habits. Unlike your age or genes, you can change them day by day.

Habits like these can help with blood sugar. Blood sugar is the amount of sugar in your blood. What works best is different for each person.

Your care team can help you pick steps that suit you.

Diabetes is not a fault you can be blamed for. Blame does not help anyone manage it. Blame is like carrying an extra backpack. It adds weight but does not get you anywhere.

Type 1 is not caused by diet, lifestyle or personal choices. Doctors are still studying what causes it.

Key takeaways

• Genes, age and family history cannot be changed.
• Food, movement and sleep can help with blood sugar.
• No one chooses diabetes, so blame does not help.

Try it

Fold a sheet of paper in half. On one side, list what you cannot change, like age and family history. On the other, list one daily habit you could work on.