You may have heard of Diabetes Mellitus as a silent killer. It is caused when the body fails to make insulin which results in hyperglycemia. Type 2 is the most common type of Diabetes. It results in insulin resistance in peripheral tissues and defect of the Beta cells. Diabetes is not so much treated as it is looked after, or kept from worsening and leading to other health problems. Hence, it is important to understand the disease and alleviate any misconceptions about it. Following are some that we thought everyone needed to know.
Number Eight: Diabetes is not that dangerous
A higher number of people die from this metabolic disorder annually rather than breast cancer and AIDS collectively. It may also double your chances of suffering a heart attack. How is it not that dangerous? The positive thing is if you manage and control it well, you can reduce any complications arising from it.
Number Seven: If you are obese or overweight, you will get Type 2 Diabetes at some point
Obesity is a risk factor for this disorder but it isn’t the only one. Ethnicity, age and family history are also some other risk factors for getting diabetic. There are many obese people who never had type 2 diabetes, and a lot of type 2 diabetes patients are of moderate weight.
Number Six: Consuming a lot of sugar will lead to diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is triggered by genetics and some reasons that are still unknown, while type 2 is also caused by genetics along with some factors related to one’s lifestyle. The direct link between sugar and diabetes is not known, but it is said that foods high in sugar will lead to obesity or one getting overweight. These two are major risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
Number Five: Diabetic people have a special diet
A healthy diet for diabetics is identical for a normal person’s diet- low in trans and saturated fat, avoiding sugar and salt and consuming more lean meat, whole grains, non-starchy vegetables, and healthy fruit and fats. Diabetic meals are just more expensive and may even cause high glucose levels as well as a laxative effect if they have sugar alcohols.
Number Four: Cut back on starchy foods like potatoes, pasta and bread if you are diabetic
You can eat these foods but in portions that are healthy for you. To start with, 45-60 grams of carbohydrates in a meal are okay.
Number Three: Complete avoidance of chocolate and sweets
One can have sweets and desserts if one exercises. Therefore, there isn’t a hard and fast rule that diabetics have to abstain from eating sugar altogether.
Number Two: It is contagious
Since this metabolic disorder is not caused by a virus, bacterium or any other carrier, it is not contagious. Apart from genetic factors, there is no way one can catch diabetes from another person.
Number One: Diabetics are more susceptible to colds and other illnesses
There is no correlation of diabetes with cold or another illness. But diabetics are advised to get flu shots so that no other disease can hamper the management of this disorder, which in itself is a difficult disease.