Truth or False: Misconceptions about Diabetes
Truth or False: Misconceptions about Diabetes
There are many misconceptions about Diabetes. Starting with telling the difference in Type 1 and Type 2 to what you can and cannot eat, what facts are true and false? Here are some of the most common diabetes myths.
Belief Sugar is the root of the cause
Most Myanmar households believe that sugar is the true enemy of Diabetics. It is not that diabetics should avoid sugar; it is that they should avoid having too much sugar. The key word here is balance. A balanced diet will provide a diabetic with the nutrients needed to manage their blood sugar levels. The sugars in natural fruits, called unprocessed, are complex and simple carbohydrates which get broken down into glucose and used by cells in the body. The sugars you need to watch out for are the hidden ones found in highly processed foods like candy, snacks, salad dressing, and even in seemingly plain cereals. Sugar alone is not the cause of Diabetes. Other factors like inappropriate eating times, poor portion control, and fat-laden or overly sweet foods, and sedentary lifestyle increase your risk factors for diabetes.1
Food is no longer enjoyable for Diabetics
Most Myanmar people believe that if they get diabetes, they are going to starve and food is no longer enjoyable so some go into extreme dieting. While you have to be more selective of what you eat to control your diabetes, depriving your body of what you used to enjoy can be worse for it. You can run the risk of overeating it once you get the chance. To avoid this, you can actually appropriately incorporate your favorite foods into your diabetes meal plan. To do this, it may take practice or you can easily consult a health care professional for specifics. Skipping meals or extreme calorie restrictions also can cause unhealthy lows in blood sugar levels, leading to elevated craving. A proper meal plan with a variety of healthy foods regularly throughout the day with exercise can help you stay full longer.1
What to watch out for
Hypoglycemia – Symptoms of low blood sugar can affect your vision and contribute to the belief that those with diabetes should not drive. If diabetes is well under control with diet, exercise, and medication and also keeping snacks on hand, can help prevent hypoglycemia attacks.1
Immune System – Because high blood sugars weaken your body’s immune defense, recovering from illnesses take longer, thus circling back to making diabetes management harder. Stay updated on all medications and immunizations and eat good clean food to stay healthy and manage diabetes.1, 3
If you find controlling your diabetes with food is not as effective as you have determined, look for supplements with low GI (Glycemic Index, a scale of 0 to 100 that ranks foods by how much they raise your blood sugar. The higher the number the quicker it raises your blood sugar). A wide range of Glucerna products have been scientifically designed to support the dietary needs of diabetics and help keep their blood glucose level normal. Formulated with low-digesting carbohydrates, it prevents blood glucose from spiking, keeping one full longer.1, 2
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