Diabetes Myths - A Must For Every Diabetic to Know

Insulin and food are key components of diabetes care. Diabetics have many doubts and suspicions. It's no surprise that a lot of myths in diabetes revolve around these two topics. In this article I have tried to clear these myths so that more and more diabetics have the true knowledge to for better management.

Myth No.1> No Symptoms of Diabetes Appear before Damage Has Occurred

Diabetes is sometimes called "the Silent Disease," but this is not true. Diabetes actually has plenty of symptoms like increased urination, increased thirst, dry skin, fatigue, blurry vision, irritability, extreme hunger, eating without weight gain, unexpected and unusual weight loss, these symptoms aren't severe, so they often go unnoticed by parents and caretakers.Put simply, it's hard to accept the fact that there's something seriously wrong with body.

Myth No.2> Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Are the Same

Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes share some common characteristics but they are hardly the same disease. They differ in the following ways:

Type 1 is a genetic tendency plus a virus. These patients have an absolute lack of insulin and most cases occur in childhood. Type 1 can't be controlled by diet and exercise alone. Most patients are thin.

The cause of Type 2 is heredity plus obesity plus a sedentary lifestyle. These patients have insulin resistance and it mostly occurs after age 35.It can be controlled with diet and exercise alone. Patients are generally (but not always) fat.

Myth No.3> You Can't Eat Sugar with Type 1 Diabetes

Today, there are probably more types of insulin available than are needed. A little injected insulin can take care of lots of sugar or other carbohydrates.A corollary to this myth is that diabetes caused by consuming too many sweets. Doctors have a pretty good idea of the cause of diabetes, and sweets have nothing to do with it.

Myth No.4> You Have to Eat Special Foods When You Have Diabetes

With diabetes, there's no advantage to eating special diabetic foods. It's difficult enough to deal with all the requirements for good diabetes care to have to eat boring tasteless foods! Food is one of life's great pleasures. Diabetics can have excellent glucose control with regular food so long as you account for the carbohydrate in it.

Myth No.5> If You Take Insulin, You Must Have Type 1 Diabetes

In Type 1, insulin is an essential part of diabetes care because the disease is characterized by a total lack of insulin in the body. On the other hand, in Type 2, insulin is a tool to get the blood glucose to a level at which diet and exercise can work. Type 2 is a lifestyle disease, not a disease of lack of insulin. When someone with Type 2 improves his diet, exercise regimen, and weight, he can manage Type 2 without insulin.

Myth No.6> Insulin Causes Atherosclerosis

The fact is that insulin actually causes a decline in atherosclerosis by reversing the processes that lead to elevated blood glucose levels and elevated fatty acids in the blood.

Myth No.7> Insulin Cures Type 1 Diabetes

Many myths concern great new cures for Type 1 with this medication or that medication. Ignore them. At the present time, no single medication can cure Type 1 diabetes.

Myth No.8> Women with Diabetes Shouldn't Get Pregnant

The woman with diabetes who's even thinking about a pregnancy must improve her glucose control so that she has HbA1c below 7 percent before she conceives. She also must keep her blood glucose below 90 mg/dl before a meal and below 120 mg/dl an hour after the meal throughout the pregnancy.

Myth No.9> Doctors Are Hiding the Cure for Diabetes So They Can Make More Money

There's nothing further from the truth than this myth. Scientists are a highly competitive bunch. None of them is holding back a diabetes cure because they can feel the others breathing down their necks! Thousands of hard-working doctors and other scientists have dedicated their lives to finding a cure for diabetes

With the proper knowledge about diabetes we can easily overcome the diabetes and its related complications.