Misconceptions about diabetes risk factors, symptoms, healthy foods, and more could affect how diabetes patients take care of themselves.

Myth: Eating sugar causes diabetes

Fact: Eating sugar doesn’t cause diabetes in the same smoking-gun way that cigarettes cause cancer, notes Prevention, but sugar seems to play an indirect role, and it’s just plain common sense to limit your intake.

One thing that David G. Marrero, PhD, head of Health Care & Education at the American Diabetes Association, says is that eating too much sugar can make you fat, which is a linked to type 2 diabetes. In addition to that link, new study shows that sugary drinks may raise the risk of diabetes, even when weight is taken into account.

A 2015 BMJ study found that drinking one sugary drink a day makes you 18% more likely to get type 2 diabetes. Another study from JAMA found that women's chance of getting diabetes almost doubled when they drank one or more sugary drinks every day instead of one or less per week.

This happened over four years. According to Prevention, these sugars that are quickly taken may hurt cells in the pancreas that make insulin. There is sugar in a lot of canned foods, so you probably eat more than you realize.

Read nutrition labels and stay away from foods that have been treated a lot. The World Health Organization says that an average adult shouldn't eat more than six teaspoons (24 grams) of sugar a day. Do these good things every day to help avoid getting diabetes.

Myth: Thin people don’t get type 2 diabetes

Fact:

A new article in Harvard Health Publications says that 15% of people with type 2 diabetes are at a healthy weight. This means that 85% of people with diabetes are overweight or obese.

A 2012 study in JAMA found that people with type 2 diabetes who are a healthy weight are twice as likely to die from heart disease and other reasons as people with diabetes who are overweight. According to molecular imaging expert Jimmy Bell, MD, having too much visceral fat (fat that doesn't move or pinch) can play a role. Visceral fat clings to your abdominal organs and changes the production of inflammatory compounds that hurt your liver and pancreas.

It could also lower your insulin sensitivity, which increases your risk of type 2 diabetes.
If you are 45 or older and have a history of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, or if you are overweight, you should have your blood sugar checked every three years. This is especially important if you are a sedentary person, have a family history of diabetes, or have had gestational diabetes.

Myth: Exercise is dangerous for people with diabetes

This is not at all true: There are many studies that show that daily exercise can help lower blood sugar and make managing diabetes easier. Before you start exercising, make sure your doctor says it's okay (especially if you haven't been active in a while) and talk to your doctor or a diabetes trainer about how and when to check your blood sugar during your workout.

The Mayo Clinic says to check your blood sugar 30 minutes before you work out and then about every 30 minutes while you work out if you take insulin or medicine that can lower your blood sugar.

This will let you know if your blood sugar level is steady, going up, or going down, and if it's okay to keep working out. Also, don't forget to bring a snack with you in case you need to spike your blood sugar again after gym. Your body is asking you to stop or take a break if you feel weak or shaky. These methods, which are based on science, can help fix diabetes.

Myth: Diabetes has no symptoms; only my doctor can detect it

Even though there are some early warning signs of diabetes, they are often too minor to notice or pay attention to. That's why 2/5 of people who have diabetes don't even know they do. Feeling thirsty even though you've been drinking, drinking more than normal, going to the bathroom a lot, being tired and hungry all the time, or losing weight without making any changes to your diet or way of life are all warning signs. Going to the doctor is a good idea if you have any of these signs. A blood test is an easy and sure way to tell if someone has diabetes.

Myth: You shouldn’t get pregnant if you have diabetes

Fact: “People are worried about the risk to themselves and their child, or worry that they can’t become pregnant at all, particularly in those with type 1; but that’s just not true anymore,” says Marrero. "This myth comes from a time when diabetes wasn't well understood or controlled."

If you don't carefully watch your blood sugar levels, there is still a chance of problems, like giving birth early, but he says that many people get pregnant and have healthy pregnancies with the right care. The American Diabetes Association has a useful guide that can help you learn more about how to have a healthy pregnancy if you have diabetes.

Myth: You’ll always be able to tell if your blood sugar levels are too low or too high

Fact:

The first signs of high blood sugar are often so mild that they are easy to miss. This is why it's important to check your blood sugar levels often and keep track of them. This can even let you know about a drop or rise in levels before your body does. It can also teach you how things like food, exercise, stress, and illness can change your levels. Hypoglycemia means that your blood sugar level is too low. When this happens, you may sweat or feel shaky. Dr. Deena Adimoolam is an assistant professor in the Department of Endocrinology, Obesity, and Metabolism at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. She says that people who have diabetes for a long time often lose the ability to feel these symptoms over time. Check your blood sugar levels as often as your doctor tells you to. If you have hazy vision, are confused or sleepy, or are throwing up, call 911 right away. And learn about these diabetes problems that you might not notice.

Myth: Diabetics have to follow a strict, no-sugar diet

Dessert is fine for people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Moderation is important if you have type 2 diabetes. Limit the amount of sweets you eat and fill up on fiber-rich whole grains, vegetables, and lean protein. If you have type 1 diabetes, you'll need to learn how to change your next insulin dose to account for carbs that are high in sugar. "It only takes a few tries to get the right insulin dose," says Marrero, who has type 1 diabetes himself. "It's very doable and easy to learn." "A great option is to use a continuous glucose monitor that will show you when your levels change."

Myth: If you have diabetes, you’re more likely to catch a cold

Fact: The American Diabetes Association says that having diabetes doesn't make you more likely to get a cold, the flu, or any other sickness. But getting sick can make it harder to handle diabetes. For example, the Centers for Disease handle and Prevention say that people with diabetes are three times more likely to be hospitalized from the flu than people who don't have diabetes. To stay healthy during flu season, get a flu shot and do what the CDC says. Every day, these diabetes doctors do these things to keep their own blood sugar in check.

Myth: There is no cure for Type 2 diabetes

Eduardo Sanchez, MD, Chief Medical Officer for Prevention and Chief of the Center for Health Metrics and Evaluation for the American Heart Association in Dallas, says this is mostly not true. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, and being overweight is the main cause of it. Some kinds of gastric bypass surgery can almost completely get rid of symptoms in people who are overweight. Intermittent fasting can also help.

"The thought of a cure is faint, but not impossible to reach," he says. "We aren't doing everything we can to stop diabetes, and there is a huge window of hope because people with diabetes can greatly improve their quality of life and lengthen their lives by making changes to their lifestyle and taking medicine." Meet the doctor who is helping people with diabetes one by one.

Myth: There is no way to prevent it

If you have prediabetes, you should know that you could get diabetes. When your blood sugar or glucose level is higher than it should be but not quite at the level of diabetes yet, this can happen. "A lot of evidence shows that living a healthy life can lower your risk of getting type 2 diabetes," says Dr. Sanchez.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta says that 90% of people in the US who have prediabetes don't know it. About one-third of those adults have prediabetes. A quick blood test can tell you if you have prediabetes and help you stop getting it. Here are the best and worst things to eat if you want to beat prediabetes.

Myth: All people with diabetes should follow the same diet

There isn't a single diet that works for everyone with diabetes, says Dr. Sanchez. The same is true for people who don't have diabetes. A Mediterranean-style diet with lots of greens, healthy fats, some grains, and lean proteins can help you control your diabetes. The keto diet, on the other hand, is low in carbs, moderate in protein, and high in fat. Find out what the two-day diet is and how it can help you deal with diabetes.

Myth: If you have diabetes, you will develop heart disease

Dr. Sanchez hopes not. "We know that heart disease is most likely to shorten the life of someone with diabetes, but we also know what to do to lower this risk and change this trajectory," he says. This means living in a way that is good for your heart and keeping your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels in a healthy range.

The American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association formed a partnership to make more people aware of how people with type 2 diabetes are more likely to get heart disease. This is called the "Know Diabetes by Heart" initiative, and its goal is to get more people to support these life-saving changes.Half of all heart attacks are caused by this quiet sign, which has nothing to do with cholesterol.

Myth: You will lose a limb

Maria Elena Rodriguez, RD, CDN, CDE, the Diabetes Program Manager at The Diabetes Alliance of the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, says that having diabetes doesn't mean you will lose a limb. "The best way to avoid problems, like losing a limb, is to stay informed about how to control your blood sugar and take your medications as directed."

To avoid this risk, get a full foot exam at least once a year and check your feet every day. If you have diabetes, even a small cut can be very bad because the disease damages nerves in the feet, making them lose feeling and cutting off blood flow to the feet, which makes it harder for them to heal.

Myth: Every diabetic will need insulin therapy

The pancreas makes insulin, a hormone that lets your body use glucose (sugar) as fuel. Type 1 diabetes means that your body doesn't make insulin, and type 2 diabetes means that your cells aren't responding to insulin. Because of this, your blood sugar rises and spills into your pee. High blood sugar that isn't under control can lead to major health problems over time.

Rodriguez says that not all people with type 2 diabetes will need insulin to keep their blood sugar in check. It's possible that other medicines and changes to your habits, like losing weight and working out regularly, will be enough to control your diabetes.

Myth: You will go blind

Too much sugar in the blood can hurt the blood cells in the retina, which is the back wall of your eye. Most of the time, people with diabetes lose their sight because of something called diabetic retinopathy, which doesn't always show any signs. You don't have to lose your sight. Rodriguez says that you should get a full dilated eye check at least once a year to keep from going blind. This is one of the 10 things people with type 2 diabetes must do to save their lives.

Myth: You will need dialysis

If you have diabetes, the blood valves in your kidneys get hurt. This means that they can't filter your blood so well. This can lead to kidney failure and the need for dialysis to remove waste from the bloodstream if it is not managed. Rodriguez says that tight control of blood sugar can lower the chance of all diabetes complications, even kidney failure.

Myth: You can’t even have a sip of alcohol

Rodriguez says that people with diabetes can drink alcohol in moderation, but they need to be careful before happy hour. "Alcohol has empty calories that the body turns into sugar and then stores as fat," she says. Don’t drink too much, and make sure the mixers don’t have any sugar in them. Instead of sugary juices, use diet soda or seltzer. Women should not drink more than one drink a day, and guys should not drink more than two drinks a day.

This is the same as one 12-ounce beer, five-ounce wine glass, or one-and-a-half-ounce distilled spirit like vodka. You should also not drink on an empty stomach because both of these things can make you more likely to get low blood sugar. This mix makes you more likely to have a dangerous hypoglycemia event. Read these 26 facts about glucose that could save your life.

Myth: Gestational diabetes means you will develop diabetes

If you had gestational diabetes while you were pregnant, you are more likely to get diabetes after giving birth, but Rodriquez says this is not a hard and fast rule. "After giving birth, your body may get back to controlling blood sugar properly," she says. You should have your blood sugar checked by your doctor once a year so that you can notice any changes right away.

Myth: Diabetes means you can never run a marathon

Based on research, these 10 points show that people with diabetes should start working out. Rodriguez says that if you are going to work out for more than an hour, you should check your blood sugar before and after and not forget to bring snacks with you. Before you sign up for a race, talk to your doctor or a diabetes educator to find out how much exercise you should be getting.

Lesson Summary

Rodriguez offers recommendations for managing diabetes when exercising and debunking myths associated with the condition:

• Monitor blood sugar levels before and after workouts lasting more than an hour.
• Bring snacks when exercising to manage blood sugar levels.
• Consult a doctor or diabetes educator before participating in races to determine appropriate exercise levels.

The text clarifies misconceptions surrounding diabetes risk factors and symptoms:

• Sugar consumption is not the direct cause of diabetes but can contribute to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
• Even healthy-weight individuals can be at risk of type 2 diabetes, debunking the misconception that only overweight individuals are affected.

It emphasizes the significance of exercise in managing diabetes:

• Studies show that exercise can help lower blood sugar levels.
• Explains symptoms of diabetes that might go unnoticed, leading to delayed diagnosis.

The text addresses myths related to diabetes management:

• Individuals with diabetes are not required to follow a strict, no-sugar diet but should opt for moderation and healthy food choices.
• Common misconceptions about pregnancy, blood sugar monitoring, diet variations, risk of complications, and lifestyle changes for those with diabetes are corrected.

In conclusion, the text aims to provide clarity on various misconceptions associated with diabetes to aid individuals in better understanding and managing the condition.