It's that time of year again and the X Factor is in full swing. Each week our TVs are dominated with the hugely successful singing competition and a number of up and coming stars fill the newspapers. One contestant by the name of Amelia Lily made the papers recently, but not because of her talent for singing. The announced to the press that she suffers from type 1 diabetes - an illness that can be extremely dangerous unless treated appropriately. She has had the condition for a number of years and used to have seizures as a child.
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body lacks cells that produce insulin. In some people, other cells will attack these cells and as such, the body cannot produce enough of this important chemical. Insulin regulates glucose levels in the blood and without it, levels can become either dangerously high or dangerously low. If glucose levels reach these extremes, it can have serious consequences on health. In extreme cases, seizures can occur, just as those mentioned by Amelia.
The X Factor involves live performances in front of large audiences. Amelia does this every week and this kind of thing can cause a surge of adrenaline in the body. Adrenaline uses a lot of energy from the body, which can affect the blood sugar levels. As a result, Amelia must take the appropriate precautions before she takes to the stage, to avoid such an episode form occurring.
The soon-to-be starlet was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 14 years ago and has to regularly inject insulin - as do many other people who suffer from the condition. Injecting insulin allows the body's sugar levels to return to a safe level. Because she has had the condition for so long, Amelia knows the tell tale signs before she has a hyperglycaemic episode, so she can act accordingly. She can tell if an episode is approaching as she will often shake or feel that she needs to eat chocolate.
One of Amelia's greatest fears that she deals with constantly is that she could go blind if she has a particularly bad episode. High levels of glucose damaging the blood vessels in the eyes can cause blindness in people with type 1 diabetes. Amelia plans to put her new found fame to good use by raising awareness of the condition.
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body lacks cells that produce insulin. In some people, other cells will attack these cells and as such, the body cannot produce enough of this important chemical. Insulin regulates glucose levels in the blood and without it, levels can become either dangerously high or dangerously low. If glucose levels reach these extremes, it can have serious consequences on health. In extreme cases, seizures can occur, just as those mentioned by Amelia.
The X Factor involves live performances in front of large audiences. Amelia does this every week and this kind of thing can cause a surge of adrenaline in the body. Adrenaline uses a lot of energy from the body, which can affect the blood sugar levels. As a result, Amelia must take the appropriate precautions before she takes to the stage, to avoid such an episode form occurring.
The soon-to-be starlet was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 14 years ago and has to regularly inject insulin - as do many other people who suffer from the condition. Injecting insulin allows the body's sugar levels to return to a safe level. Because she has had the condition for so long, Amelia knows the tell tale signs before she has a hyperglycaemic episode, so she can act accordingly. She can tell if an episode is approaching as she will often shake or feel that she needs to eat chocolate.
One of Amelia's greatest fears that she deals with constantly is that she could go blind if she has a particularly bad episode. High levels of glucose damaging the blood vessels in the eyes can cause blindness in people with type 1 diabetes. Amelia plans to put her new found fame to good use by raising awareness of the condition.
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