SOME COMMON MYTHS ABOUT DIABETES
1. Myth: I can always sense any change in my blood sugar level.
Truth: A diabetic patient may not always sense change in his/her blood sugar. Sometimes even symptoms due to high blood sugar can be the same as those of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). So, it is always better to check your blood sugar with a glucometer, if you have any such symptoms and keep a track of your sugar regularly.
2. Myth: Once insulin has been started, I wont be able to stop it.
Truth: Insulin is sometimes started due to an acute illness, infection, surgery or any other reason in type 2 diabetics. After the acute illness has settled, insulin can be stopped and patient can be shifted back to oral hypoglycemic drugs. But in type 1 diabetics, insulin is required throughout life because oral hypoglycaemic agents are not effective. Also in type 2 diabetics, a stage may come when oral hypoglycaemic agents are not effective and insulin is required to control the blood sugar.
3. Myth: My doctor has suggested insulin, I am having advanced stage of diabetes.
Truth: Type 1 diabetics require insulin since the time of diagnosis. Oral hypoglycemic don’t work for them. Even in type 2 diabetics, insulin may be required at the time of acute illness or at diagnosis depending upon circumstances.
4. Myth: Diabetes can be cured.
Truth: Diabetes can be controlled with diet plan, exercise and medicines. It cannot be cured completely. You will need to follow your diet plan and exercise routine throughout your life. In fact, diabetes is a progressive disease. As the time passes, you may require an increase in the dose of medicines and some patients may require insulin also.
5. Myth: I don’t have any symptoms, so I don’t need a treatment for diabetes.
Truth: Diabetes can be detected incidentally and many patients may be asymptomatic for it. Still, you need to control it, otherwise you can get long term complications related to it. These complications are mostly irreversible. So, best way is to prevent them by controlling your blood sugar since the time of diagnosis.
6. Myth: I cannot take sweets, potatoes, rice etc.
Truth: You can plan your meal in such a way that you are sometimes able to include these starchy foods also. You are allowed to have 6-11 servings of carbohydrate daily. So, at times you can include sweets also. Remember, moderation is the key. Whenever you are taking these starch rich foods or sweets, limit the quantity and for that day try to restrict other carbohydrates.
7. Myth: I don’t have family history of diabetes, so I cant get diabetes.
Truth: Diabetes runs in families, so you have more chances of getting it, if you have a family member suffering from diabetes. But, absence of diabetes in family does not mean that you cant get diabetes. People without family history of diabetes can also develop diabetes.
8. Myth: I am not overweight, I cannot get diabetes.
Truth: Mostly overweight and obese people develop diabetes. Their risk of developing diabetes decreases if they lose weight. But, underweight or normal weight people can also develop diabetes. These individuals have more visceral fat (fat in the abdomen and around the organs) and can develop type 2 diabetes. There are some type of diabetes which occur in lean individuals like LADA, Type 1 diabetes and fibrocalcific pancreatic diabetes.
9. Myth: I don’t eat sugar, I cannot get diabetes.
Truth: Diabetes is caused by genetic and environmental factors. Eating sugar per se will not cause diabetes but eating diet high in calories can cause increase in your weight and can cause diabetes.
10. Myth: Diabetic women cannot have children.
Truth: Diabetic women can have children. It is important to get yourself evaluated for complications and achieve a strict control of blood sugar before pregnancy to avoid complications in the baby.
11. Myth: Fruit juice is good for my health.
Truth: Fruit juices are not a healthy option specially for diabetics. They are rich in carbohydrates and poor in fibre. Instead of fruit juice, whole fruits should be taken.
12. Myth: My blood sugar is high, so I will skip my meal to control it.
Truth: Skipping meal is not a good idea in diabetics. Even if your blood sugar is high, you should continue taking meals and your medicine. You should consult your doctor if sugar remains persistently high.
13. Myth: Bitter tasting foods help lower blood sugar.
Truth: There is no convincing scientific evidence that consuming bitter tasting items like neem or karela will cure diabetes. Infact, excess consumption of these can cause gastritis.
14. Myth: Salted biscuits/ Rusk do not increase blood sugar.
Truth: Salted biscuits/ Rusk will also increase your blood sugar specially if taken in binge amounts. These are also made up of carbohydrates and will ultimately convert into sugar in the body. Fibre content of these biscuits is negligible. So, avoid taking them.
15. Myth: A diabetic can consume anything except white sugar.
Truth: All sweeteners like jiggery, honey etc will increase your blood sugar, so all of them should be avoided. Even artificial sweeteners like aspartame should not be consumed regularly. However stevia may be consumed by these patients.
16. Myth: Once you are on tablets or insulin, you can have anything to eat.
Truth: Lifestyle modification, that is diet control and exercise remain an integral part of diabetes management at all stages. Even if you are on medication or insulin, you still need to continue with diet control and physical activity.
17. Myth: Diabetes is contagious.
Truth: Diabetes is not a contagious disease. It occurs in genetically predisposed individuals and is triggered by sedentary lifestyle and obesity.
ALL THE BEST!
