Myths and Facts about Diabetes
Myth: I have diabetes, so I can never eat sweets.
Fact: sweets increase the glucose in your blood. It’s best to save sweets for special occasions or as a treat.
You can eat small amounts of sugar in place of other carbohydrates usually eaten at a meal.
Myth: Diabetes is contagious
Fact: It’s a non-communicable illness meaning it cannot be passed on by sneezing, through touch, or via blood, or any other person-to-person means.
Can be genetically transferred by diabetic parents in children
Myth: I can stop taking diabetes medicines once my blood sugar is under control.
Fact: Diabetes being a progressive disease, most the patients need medicines/insulin along with healthy eating, weight loss, and regular exercise
Myth: You will know if you have diabetes by your symptoms
Fact: Type 2 diabetes often goes undiagnosed because it usually has few or no symptoms when it first develops.
Myth: Diabetes is not serious
Fact: Diabetes is never ‘mild’. If left uncontrolled can affect kidneys, eyes, nerves leading to irreversible serious complications affecting the quality of life
Myth: Women with diabetes should not get pregnant
Fact: Women who manage their diabetes well can have a normal pregnancy and give birth to a healthy baby.
Myth: If we eat too much sugar, can we get diabetes?
Fact: Genetics trigger type 1 diabetes, and lifestyle factors trigger type 2 diabetes.
Being overweight, lack of exercise, calorie-rich diet, can cause type 2 diabetes.
Myth: People with diabetes must follow a special diet.
Fact: People with diabetes benefit from the same healthy diet that is good for everyone else. A healthy diet plan must include plenty of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.
Myth: People with diabetes cannot eat sweets or chocolate.
Fact: People with diabetes can eat sweets and desserts as a part of a healthy meal plan or combined with exercise. A very small portion of sweets can be eaten on special occasions.
Myth: People with diabetes can eat wheat but not rice.
Fact: Both wheat and rice have the same amount of carbohydrate and have almost similar glycemic indexes. They also raise blood sugar to a similar extent.
Myth: Insulin injections are painful.
Fact: Although no one likes shots, most people are surprised by how little an insulin injection hurts. Insulin does not “sting” going in, and the needles are very small and thin. Most people find that it is less painful than a finger stick to monitor their blood glucose level.
Myth: Insulin is too expensive.
Fact: Diabetes is expensive, no question about it. Generally, however, insulin is usually less expensive than using several different types of oral medications. Because prices can vary a great deal at different stores, shop around for the best prices on insulin and other supplies.