The amount of people being diagnosed with some type of
diabetes is growing every year. Most of this is because so
many people are exercising less and eating unhealthy foods
more now than ever. These two things play a big part in
people ending up with diabetes. Many of these people may
not even be aware that they have this disease yet.
The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although
both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and
lack of exercise appear to play roles.
There are two major types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes
results from the body's failure to produce insulin, the
hormone that "unlocks" the cells of the body, allowing
glucose to enter and fuel them. It is estimated that 5-10%
of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 1
diabetes. Type 2 diabetes results from insulin resistance
(a condition in which the body fails to properly use
insulin), combined with relative insulin deficiency. Most
Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 2
diabetes.
There is also pre-diabetes which is a condition that occurs
when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal
but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
There are 54 million Americans who have pre-diabetes, in
addition to the 20.8 million with diabetes.
Diabetes symptoms may vary from person to person but most
of the time anyone with diabetes will experience some or
all of these symptoms. Some symptoms are: going to the
restroom more often, staying thirsty, fatigue, blurred
vision, stomach pain and occasionally people suffer from
weight loss.
Type 1 diabetes is normally only found in children and type
2 diabetes is found mostly in adults but not always. There
are some cases where children are being diagnosed with type
2 diabetes. Some people may be diagnosed with being
borderline diabetic, which normally ends up turning into
full blown diabetes but not always.
Some of the most important things people with diabetes
should know is a healthy, nutritional diet and a regular
exercise program can help in treating the disease. Speak
with your doctor about what kind of diet you should
consider following, along with a moderate exercise program.
The doctor or a nutritionist should be able to tell you
exactly what kinds of foods you should be avoiding and give
you some tips on how much exercise you need every week.
Doing this has many health benefits and will also make you
feel so much better about yourself.
You should know the truth about some of the most common
myths about diabetes. Myth #1 You can catch diabetes from
someone else. No. Although we don't know exactly why some
people develop diabetes, we know diabetes is not
contagious. It can't be caught like a cold or flu. There
seems to be some genetic link in diabetes, particularly
type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle factors also play a part.
Myth #2 People with diabetes can't eat sweets or
chocolate. If eaten as part of a healthy meal plan, or
combined with exercise, sweets and desserts can be eaten by
people with diabetes. They are no more "off limits" to
people with diabetes, than they are to people without
diabetes.
Myth #3 Eating too much sugar causes diabetes. No.
Diabetes is caused by a combination of genetic and
lifestyle factors. However, being overweight does increase
your risk for developing type 2 diabetes. If you have a
history of diabetes in your family, eating a healthy meal
plan and regular exercise are recommended to manage your
weight.
Myth #4 People with diabetes should eat special diabetic
foods. A healthy meal plan for people with diabetes is the
same as that for everyone - low in fat (especially
saturated and trans fat), moderate in salt and sugar, with
meals based on whole grain foods, vegetables and fruit.
Diabetic and "dietetic" versions of sugar-containing foods
offer no special benefit. They still raise blood glucose
levels, are usually more expensive and can also have a
laxative effect if they contain sugar alcohols.
Myth #5 If you have diabetes, you should only eat small
amounts of starchy foods, such as bread, potatoes and
pasta. Starchy foods are part of a healthy meal plan.
What is important is the portion size. Whole grain breads,
cereals, pasta, rice and starchy vegetables like potatoes,
yams, peas and corn can be included in your meals and
snacks. The key is portions. For most people with
diabetes, having 3-4 servings of carbohydrate-containing
foods is about right. Whole grain starchy foods are also a
good source of fiber, which helps keep your gut healthy.
Myth #6 People with diabetes are more likely to get colds
and other illnesses. No. You are no more likely to get a
cold or another illness if you have diabetes. However,
people with diabetes are advised to get flu shots. This is
because any infection interferes with your blood glucose
management, putting you at risk of high blood glucose
levels and, for those with type 1 diabetes, an increased
risk of ketoacidosis.
Myth #7 Insulin causes atherosclerosis (hardening of the
arteries) and high blood pressure. No, insulin does not
cause atherosclerosis. In the laboratory, there is
evidence that insulin can initiate some of the early
processes associated with atherosclerosis. Therefore, some
physicians were fearful that insulin might aggravate the
development of high blood pressure and hardening of the
arteries. But it doesn't.
Myth #8 Insulin causes weight gain, and because obesity is
bad for you, insulin should not be taken. Both the UKPDS
(United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study) and the DCCT
(Diabetes Control & Complications Trial) have shown that
the benefit of glucose management with insulin far
outweighs (no pun intended) the risk of weight gain.
Myth #9 Fruit is a healthy food. Therefore, it is ok to
eat as much of it as you wish. Fruit is a healthy food.
It contains fiber and lots of vitamins and minerals.
Because fruit contains carbohydrate, it needs to be
included in your meal plan. Talk to your dietitian about
the amount, frequency and types of fruits you should eat.
Myth #10 You don't need to change your diabetes regimen
unless your A1C is greater than 8 percent. The better your
glucose control, the less likely you are to develop
complications of diabetes. An A1C in the sevens (7s),
however, does not represent good control. The ADA goal is
less than 7 percent. The closer your A1C is to the normal
range (less than 6 percent), the lower your chances of
complications. However, you increase your risk of
hypoglycemia, especially if you have type 1 diabetes. Talk
with your health care provider about the best goal for you.
There is no cure right now for diabetes but there are
several different forms of treatment available for you. Do
not give up hope on feeling better and living a long,
healthy, happy life. Even if you are one of the many that
has been diagnosed with this disease, it does not mean that
your life as you know it is over. It simply means you may
need medication and you will have to consider certain
lifestyle changes that will have an amazing outcome once
you have done so. There are many other treatment options
that could eventually be available to you but are currently
undergoing more detailed research.
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Janice Lockeby has first hand experiene of living with
diabetics. Her husband is a type 2 and her two children
are type 1. They all live a very normal and healthy life
now. She has tips and information about keeping your blood
sugar low at http://newbloodsugar.com
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