Diabetes Self-Management
Diabetes Self-Management
Managing diabetes doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice enjoying foods you crave. Diabetes Self-Management offers over 900 diabetes friendly recipes to choose from including desserts, low-carb pasta dishes, savory main meals, grilled options and more.
December 26, 2022
In an effort to raise awareness of the warning signs of type 1 diabetes, Beyond Type 1 — a nonprofit group dedicated to supporting people with diabetes — is launching a campaign called #SeeTheSigns, as announced in a press release from the organization.
Beyond Type 1 was founded in 2015 with a mission to advance education, advocacy, and a pathway to a cure for type 1 diabetes. Since then, the group has expanded its mission to include some programs for people with type 2 diabetes. Beyond Type 1 announced an alliance with JDRF — the long-standing type 1 diabetes advocacy and research organization — in 2019, with the aim of combining and cross-promoting advocacy and support services and events. And earlier this year, Beyond Type 1 announced a new mental health portal containing a range of articles and other resources on mental health issues for people with diabetes.
The main aspect of the new #SeeTheSigns campaign is an invitation for people with type 1 diabetes to post a photo or video on Instagram showing how many signs of diabetes they had before they received their diagnosis. The instructions for how to do this are found, appropriately, in an Instagram post from the group. There are four main signs of type 1 diabetes, according to the instructions — excessive thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, and exhaustion. In addition to showing how many signs you had, people with diabetes are encouraged to share the story of their diagnosis in the post. The new campaign is being launched simultaneously in English and in Spanish, with the Spanish title of #VeLasSeñales.
To get cutting-edge diabetes news, strategies for blood glucose management, nutrition tips, healthy recipes, and more delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our free newsletters!
Nick Jonas, the musician and actor who cofounded Beyond Type 1, kickstarted the new campaign with a video in which he holds up four fingers, then points to text showing the symptoms he experienced prior to his diagnosis — weight loss, excessive thirst, frequent urination, and irritability. In other posts that were included on Beyond Type 1’s #SeeTheSigns page, a frequent theme in diagnosis stories was having an infection prior to the onset of symptoms — such as strep throat or the flu.
Beyond Type 1’s #SeeTheSigns page also includes links to longer diagnosis stories by a number of people with type 1 (including an extended interview with Nick Jonas). In these stories, it’s evident that the signs of type 1 diabetes are often overlooked, misunderstood, or ignored, sometimes leading to a dangerously long delay in getting an accurate diagnosis. In these stories, people are misdiagnosed with anorexia and type 2 diabetes, nearly released from an emergency room with a blood glucose level over 900 mg/dl, and mistake weight loss due to diabetes as being linked to running regularly for the first time, among other ordeals.
“Diabetes can happen to anyone, at any age, anywhere,” said Jonas in the press release. “I had lost 25 pounds in two weeks. I was always thirsty. I was constantly using the bathroom, and I was irritable. I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t know what.”
Knowing and recognizing the signs of type 1 diabetes can mean the difference between life and death, the press release notes — worldwide, it’s estimated that nearly 36,000 people have died from type 1 diabetes without receiving a diagnosis this year alone. If you #SeeTheSigns, it’s important to see a health care provider as quickly as possible.
Want to learn more about type 1 diabetes symptoms? Read “Six Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms You Need to Know,” “Tests to Diagnose Type 1 Diabetes,” and “Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms & Overview for Adults.”
Quinn Phillips on social media
A freelance health writer and editor based in Wisconsin, Phillips has a degree from Harvard University. He is a former Editorial Assistant for Diabetes Self-Management and has years of experience covering diabetes and related health conditions. Phillips writes on a variety of topics, but is especially interested in the intersection of health and public policy.
Disclaimer of Medical Advice: Statements and opinions expressed on this Web site are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the publishers or advertisers. The information, which comes from qualified medical writers, does not constitute medical advice or recommendation of any kind, and you should not rely on any information contained in such posts or comments to replace consultations with your qualified health care professionals to meet your individual needs.
Tips? News? Healthy recipes?
E-Courses for Your Diabetes?
Sign Up For Our Newsletters
I have a job interview. Do I need to mention my diabetes?
Get Diabetes-Friendly Recipes In Your Inbox
Sign up for Free
Stay Up To Date On News & Advice For Diabetes
Sign up for Free
<!–
Newsletter
–>
Get On Track With Daily Lifestyle Tips
Sign up for Free
Diabetes Self-Management offers up-to-date, practical “how-to” information on nutrition, exercise, new drugs, medical advances, self-help, and the many other topics people need to know about to stay healthy. 
Already have an account? Log in
Already have an account? Log in