Unwinding After Training - Top Chef Season 4

It isn't often that I feel compelled to talk about reality television or the media but in my over trained sleep deprived state Top Chef really struck a nerve with me last night. Last night's elimination challenge was to create a healthy boxed lunch using a protein, a grain, and a vegetable for the Chicago Police Department.

Padma, the host, brought out a trey of chilli dogs, burgers and steak sandwiches to show the cheftestants what a normal lunch order of the Chicago PD was. She then commented something to the effect of, due to the obesity epidemic facing America, diabetes is on the rise. Sam Talbot, a cheftestant from season 2, was the guest judge; Sam also has type 1 diabetes. Sam went onto say that as a diabetic he is always looking for healthy eating options, which SHOCKED me. Anyone affected with T1 knows that healthy eating allows for easier management of blood sugars, but the fact that Sam made no distinction between type 1 and type 2 really frustrated me.

In light of a recent conversation I had with someone who said their father's diabetes was "cured" after gastric by-pass surgery it is getting really upsetting that people do not make the distinction between the causes and symptoms of the two diseases. It is almost to the point where I want to call type 1 something totally different so I don't get quizzical looks and questions of "but you're so fit," when I mention that I have type 1 diabetes. It isn't the media's responsibility to educate the general population on the two types of diabetes, but it is negligent to lump them into one category. Last night I kind of felt like I was being put into a box that I really didn't belong in. Maybe I'll start saying I have Islet cellisis.