About sugar eating | About symptomes | Mild form of diabetes | About diet | About exercises | Treatment changes | About starch | About heredity
Diabetes is a very serious disease, and therefore it is useful to know the important features of this disease and to be able to distinguish between myth and reality. Here are some of the most common diabetes myths.
You can get diabetes when you eat a lot of sugar
Diabetes is not caused by high sugar consumption. In fact, the cause of diabetes is a lack, or even complete absence, of a diseased hormone in the body that helps sugar from the blood to enter cells (insulin). When a person eats, the food is processed into a kind of sugar, but this is not the refined sugar we buy in the store. If you exercise and eat healthy foods, then you can eat sweets. But you need to keep in measure and maintain a balance of fats, proteins and carbohydrates that you consume during the day.
If I get diabetes, I will immediately feel sick.
Many people with diabetes are unaware of their condition. But untreated diabetes damages blood vessels and other organs. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes and are feeling well, you still need to get treatment. The harm caused by diabetes can manifest itself after a few years, and then it will be very difficult to cope with the consequences of the disease — and it can be heart disease, damage to nerve cells. Only a doctor can tell for sure if you have diabetes.
I have diabetes, but a mild form
Diabetes is never easy. Even if you don’t need to take insulin shots and medications, the disease still needs to be kept under control.
I have to eat this terrible food for people with diabetes
First of all, you need a proper diet with a balanced diet of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Try to follow the general rules of a healthy diet: less fat and salt, more whole grains, fruits and vegetables. As for the special food for diabetics, which is sold in stores, it is not at all terrible now and even delicious.
I cannot exercise as it will make my diabetes worse
People with diabetes can, and should, exercise. Regular exercise will help curb the progression of disease and your body will use insulin more efficiently. However, before you start exercising, check with your doctor.
There is no need to change the course of treatment if the glucose level is less than 8%
The goal of any diabetes treatment is to normalize blood glucose levels, bringing them closer to normal. The closer this figure is to normal, the lower the risk of complications such as damage to nerve cells or eye disease.
Do not eat food containing starch (bread, potatoes, etc.)
Foods high in carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy. If you have diabetes, talk to your dietitian to help determine your daily carbohydrate intake. A dietitian will also teach you how to measure the correct portions and understand the information on food labels to get the right amount of carbohydrates, but not more. A person with diabetes needs 6 to 11 meals a day containing carbohydrates. These can include starchy vegetables (potatoes), as well as bread, pasta, and grains.
I have never had diabetes in my family, so I won’t get sick.
There are people who are born with a predisposition to diabetes. But often a person gets sick, although none of the relatives suffered from this disease. Weight and lifestyle can have a significant impact on the development of diabetes.