The Sweet Truth About Seven Diabetes Myths, Part I
Diabetes is one of the most common ailments in American society, which may explain why there are so many diabetes myths floating around. We'll take a look at seven in this two-part article.
Diabetes myths abound, largely because the disease is so contradictory and its effects so odd. Diabetes is a state of having too much sugar in the bloodstream; but too often, diabetic medications overwhelm the effect and drain sufferers of the glucose they need to run their bodily processes, causing the opposite effect.
Is it any wonder, then, that diabetes is poorly understood by those who don't have it, and incompletely understood even by those who do? Well, in this article we'll further your diabetes education by busting seven common myths about the disease. We'll start with four of the most common.
Myth 1: All diabetics use insulin.
It's easy to understand why this diabetes myth persists, because many diabetics do inject insulin to control their blood sugar. This is especially the case with Type 1 diabetics, who get the disease as children.
The problem with insulin is that it's easy to misjudge the amount needed, which can result in low blood sugar levels, causing mental confusion and fainting -- which can be very dangerous in some circumstances. That's why those who can usually decide to control their diabetes with diet, exercise, and medication.
Most diabetes medications, like Avandia, Avandamet, Actos, Metformin, and Amaryl are all oral medications any Type 2 (adult onset) diabetic would be familiar with. A new injectable medication, Byetta, is made from Gila monster spit. No, really -- that's no diabetes myth.
Myth 2: Diabetes is contagious.
Um, no it isn't. Type 1 (juvenile) diabetes is caused by autoimmune reactions that, for some unknown reason, destroy insulin-producing cells. Type 2 diabetes is caused by a combination of genetics and environmental factors that, together, depress insulin production. It's not something you can catch, like the flu or a cold.
Myth 3: Diabetics can never, ever enjoy anything sweet.
Thank goodness this is a nothing but a diabetes myth, or how else could we enjoy our chocolate? The truth is, diabetics can have small portions of sweets if we like, as long as they're part of a balanced diet. Generally, you have to give up something else if you want a slice of cake, but that's expected in any diet, right?
Another thing: as long as the item has no true sugar in it, you can eat it without worrying too much. Wonderful, tasty sweets are made using sugar alcohols like maltitol and sorbitol, which the body doesn't absorb. But you have to be careful with those: if you eat too much they tend to cause, ahem, gastrological distress.
Myth 4: Diabetics get sick easier than other people.
This is pure diabetes myth. The problem is that when diabetics get sick, they have the added danger of the infection interfering with proper blood sugar management. This may cause blood sugars to go unusually high or low, and Type 1diabetics can get a nasty side effect called ketoacidosis.
It's especially imperative that diabetics get a flu shot every year, because the flu is especially hard on a diabetic's system. In fact, a diabetic who gets an especially bad case of the flu should go to the hospital for treatment; excess vomiting and loss of appetite can drop blood sugar levels dangerously low.
That's a good start, but there's more to come. Join us in Part II to learn the rest of the story about diabetes myths.
