This is continued from the previous
blog.
#7. Diabetes means having to
give yourself shots, and I can’t stand needles. Only
people who are on injectable medications need to deal with needles.
Today there are insulin pens that don’t require you to inject
yourself and blood glucose meters that make drawing blood painless.
Plus, there are many new medications that control diabetes without
needles or risk of low blood glucose reactions.
#8. Eating too much sugar
causes diabetes. Diet does not cause diabetes, although
there is recent evidence that drinking many sugared drinks can
increase your risk of developing diabetes if you are already at risk.
And while sugar per se does not cause diabetes, it does contribute
to obesity, which is a major cause of diabetes. Obese people tend to
eat many sweets. But they also eat a lot of junk food and other
high-calorie foods. Sugar is bad for diabetics because it elevates
blood glucose, but so are foods that break down quickly into glucose
in the blood, such as plain pasta, bread, noodles, and white rice.
#9. I know when my sugar is
high or low. You can’t rely on how you’re feeling when
it comes to your blood glucose level. You may feel shaky,
lightheaded, and dizzy because your blood glucose is low, or you may
be coming down with the flu. You may urinate a lot, because your
blood glucose is high, or because you have a bladder infection. The
longer you have diabetes, the less accurate those feelings become.
The only way to know for sure is to check your blood level.
#10. People with diabetes
can’t eat sweets. There is no reason type 2 diabetics
can’t eat sweets as part of their healthy meal plan. When eaten in
small portions or as a special treat, diabetics can eat whatever they
want. The problem is that most of us eat too much of what we like.
Diabetes doesn’t mean you can never have a piece of cake again,
just a smaller piece, and you’ll have to be careful about what you
eat with that piece of cake. Dessert a couple of times of a month is
OK, but not every night.
#11. You are more likely to
get colds or the flu if you have diabetes. Diabetes does
not make you more vulnerable to contagious illnesses. However, you
should get your flu shots, because diabetics are more likely to
suffer serious effects from the flu.
#12. If you are put on insulin
that means you didn’t take proper care of your diabetes. When
you’re first diagnosed, your blood glucose may be controlled
adequately by diet, exercise, and/or oral medications that help your
body absorb glucose. Eventually, however, your pancreas may stop
producing enough insulin. At this point you will need insulin
injections. This is not your fault, but simply what happens as we
age as the disease ages with us.
I had not heard or seen all of the
items in the two blogs, but in talking with others, there could be
many more. The misinformation often becomes accepted by people
without diabetes and this often makes it more difficult for people
who become diagnosed with diabetes.
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