There are diabetes myths that can do much harm than good, and at some point can be very hazardous to your health. It is a known fact that obesity is one of the major factors why people develop this disease, and many people believe that loosing weight is something that they can do for them to not develop this disease.
Loosing weight is never a guarantee that people, especially those who have a history of diabetes in their bloodline, will never acquire this disorder. It minimizes the risk but doesn’t totally eliminate the chance to eradicating it 100%. Below are the 6 common diabetes myths that must be avoided.
Diabetes Myth # 1: Only serious cases of diabetes have to be dealt with medical attention.
Although it takes several years for the glucose, or most commonly known as blood sugar, to take its toll on the blood vessels and nerves, a slightly elevated glucose poses can still be a risk for the heart. Physicians would normally treat a patient only when his or her fasting blood glucose level reaches 126 mg/dL or greater. Because of the result of the research regarding the effects of an elevated glucose level to the heart, the American Diabetes Association has now recommended lifestyle modifications to persons who has a fasting blood glucose level reaching 100 mg/dL and beyond. This condition is what experts coined as prediabetes.
Diabetes Myth # 2: Low level of insulin will result in diabetes.
The pancreas produces insulin, a hormone responsible for transporting blood sugar into the cells. Type 1 diabetes, which was previously known as juvenile diabetes, is a condition wherein the body produces only small quantity or no insulin, whereas for type 2 diabetes, which afflicts 90% to 95% of persons who have diabetes, the body generates insulin that is beyond what the body needs. It is still a puzzle up to this point why the cells of persons who have type 2 diabetes become unresponsive to the effects of insulin. This in turn results for the pancreas to produce too much quantities of insulin until the pancreas wears itself out and stop producing insulin. This would then result to high levels of glucose and a decline in insulin level.
Diabetes Myth # 3: Diabetes is a not a precursor to other serious health conditions.
This diabetes myth is certainly not true. There are numerous complications brought by diabetes such as kidney failure, nerve damage or neuropathy, and problem of the retina or retinopathy. Diabetic persons are susceptible for developing high blood pressure, and myocardial infarction is the most common cause of death for people with diabetes. It is estimated that the life expectancy of people with diabetes is reduced by up to 12 years because of the complications associated with this disease.
Diabetes is responsible for making the body produce very small particles of low-density lipoprotein, otherwise know as the bad cholesterol, which are very hazardous to the health. Low density lipoproteins should be maintained below the level of 100 in order to reduce the risk of heart problems. You can prevent the bad cholesterol from elevating to dangerous proportions by being watchful with your diet, taking your medications, and getting regular exercises.
Diabetes Myth # 4: Sugar doesn’t really pose risk for diabetic persons.
It is indispensable for people who have diabetes to lose weight for their well-being. Therefore, foods that contain more than 6 grams of sugar per serving are a big no. It’s necessary to check the label of food to determine its nutritional content. Getting more than 2 servings of sugar daily increases the glucose and consequently adds stress on the pancreas. There are foods that are regarded as healthy but nevertheless should be avoided because of their high sugar content. These include bananas, grapes, potatoes, and sweet corn.
Diabetes Myth # 5: Weight gain is always the result of diabetes.
This diabetes myth is one of the biggest misconceptions about diabetes. If diabetes is left untreated, this will result for weight loss. Medications used to combat this disease are typically the culprit in making diabetics gain weight because these medications improve appetite. Therefore, it is important for people with this ailment to observe and adhere to a strict diabetes diet and should change their lifestyle so that they avoid gaining weight.
Diabetes Myth # 6: It is necessary for diabetics to receive daily insulin shots.
This is a misconception about diabetes because only those patients diagnosed with type 1 diabetes are required to get daily insulin shots. Patients diagnosed with type 2 shots rarely receive daily shots of insulin.
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