4 Common Misconceptions About Type 2 Diabetes
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There are several misconceptions about Diabetes. Learn more about the top misconceptions vs. facts surrounding Type 2 Diabetes below.
86 million adults who are at least 20 years old (1 in 3) are pre-diabetic. Fifteen to 30 percent will go on to develop Type 2 diabetes within five years.
And among Americans who are younger than 20 years old, about 208,000 have either Type 1 diabetes or Type 2 diabetes.
Both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are serious diseases. But in order to understand Type 2 diabetes better – and to better address prevention and treatment – we need to toss out the myths and misconceptions that surround it and zero in on the truth.
Misconception 1: Obesity and laziness cause diabetes.
Fact: Obesity and lack of exercise can be risk factors for Type 2 diabetes, but they don’t cause it. In Type 2 diabetes, the body can no longer make or use the hormone insulin properly. This causes glucose (sugar) from the foods you eat to build up to damaging levels in the bloodstream. Genetics can also be involved: Thin people get Type 2 diabetes too.
A healthful diet that’s rich in vegetables and protein; includes whole-grain breads, cereals, and pastas; and limits carbohydrates – particularly in foods made from processed white flour – helps to control body weight and normalize blood glucose levels.
Misconception 2: You won’t always have diabetes; your doctor can cure it.
Fact: Diabetes (of either type) is incurable; once you have it, you will always have it. But you can keep your diabetes under control with diet, exercise, and medications so that you can live an otherwise normal life with minimum damage.
Misconception 3: You can’t prevent diabetes.
Fact: Eating a healthful diet and getting daily physical activity can prevent almost 80 percent of Type 2 diabetes cases.
Misconception 4: You can feel when your blood sugar is too high or low.
Fact: The only sure way to know that your blood glucose level is high or low is to test it. Low blood sugar might make you feel shaky, dizzy or lightheaded, but you might also be coming down with the flu. High blood sugar might make you urinate frequently, but a bladder infection can cause the same symptom. You can’t trust your feelings with diabetes.
Photo: Pexels
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