What Are The Common Diabetes Misconceptions And Myths

Diabetes is a life-long metabolism disorder where the body is unable to produce or manage insulin in the body

. There are two types of diabetes, namely type 1 where the body is unable to produce insulin and type 2 where the body either does not produce enough insulin or the body cells simply ignore the insulin. Although diabetes affects up to 20 millions Americans today, there are still many misconceptions about the condition to be discussed in this article.

The first myth is that people who are overweight will get diabetes sooner or later. There is some truth in it since obese people are predisposed to Type 2 Diabetes. To say that an overweight person will be diabetic is not accurate at all. There are other factors in play for a overweight person to get diabetes. There are many overweight people out there with healthy glucose level as we speak.

Diabetes is not contagious. Simply having a family member with it or interacting with diabetics for a long time will not 'transmit' the condition to you. On the other hand, diabetes can be inherited, especially if you have family history of diabetes. The likelihood of this happening is not high all the time, especially if your parents are free of diabetes.

Having too much sugar in your diet causes diabetes. Perhaps this is one of the most widely known myths about the condition. Saying that someone with a sweet tooth will get diabetes is like saying someone with a backache will get arthritis; it's just plainly inaccurate. Eating plenty of cakes will not give you diabetes, instead it will make you gain weight. Diabetes is caused by genetics mostly, and some unhealthy lifestyle choices like regular consumption of saturated fats. Even people with diabetes can enjoy something sweet every now and then, though not with as much freedom.

It is not possible for diabetic patients to eat food high in carbohydrates. The truth is everyone needs to have carbohydrates intake as our body needs them and having a blood sugar problem does not mean you can't take carbohydrates. They simply need to adjust their servings, and include plenty of vegetables and fruits for fiber. In fact, some diets designed for diabetics encourage the intake of carbohydrates.

If you are taking insulin shots, or some associated medications, it is a go-ahead for you to eat anything you want. This is totally a misconception as these insulin shots are only supposed to give your body more edge in keeping blood sugar levels at optimal ranges. If you decide to snack on junk food, and eat too many carbohydrates and sugars, you are adding insult to injury and the medications will not prevent your blood sugar levels from constantly rising.

Diabetes can be fully cured or you only have a slight diabetes condition. The symptoms may not be pronounced in your case, but that does not mean that your diabetes is going into remission. If you are diagnosed with diabetes, it stays with you forever as there is no complete cure. But diabetes is a manageable disease and as long as you keep your diet in check, exercise regularly and keep a happy lifestyle, then it will never be a problem for you.

The above are but some common misconceptions and myths about diabetes, the actual list is much longer. If you have any questions about your diabetic condition, it is highly recommended to consult your doctor.

by: Jared Wright

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