Dialog

Volume 9, Issue 3, Summer 2008
Living with Diabetes  
You are a key player on your health care team when it comes to managing your diabetes.
 

Myth busters: Educators state the facts about diabetes

With all of the information that is available, it can be hard to find the facts about diabetes.

So what is right? And what is wrong? The diabetes educators of Allina Medical Clinic got together to "bust" some common myths about diabetes.

Myth

Fact
Eating too much sugar can cause diabetes. Eating sugar does not cause diabetes, but it may lead to obesity. If you are overweight, you are at risk for type 2 diabetes. Other diabetes risks include family history, age, and being American Indian or African American.
Diabetes causes low blood glucose. Having diabetes does not cause low blood glucose (hypoglycemia). Some types of medicines used to treat diabetes can cause low blood glucose. Other causes may include not eating enough food, having more physical activity than usual or drinking alcohol without food.
Eating sugar free foods won't affect your blood glucose. Eating foods that are sugar free does not mean that they are carbohydrate free. Eating a lot of sugar free foods may raise your blood glucose.

Be sure to check the nutrition label for the amount of carbohydrates and count your carbohydrates each day.
Skipping breakfast when you are not hungry is good for weight control. Skipping breakfast may lead to overeating. Eating breakfast will jump start your metabolism and help prevent weight gain.

Not eating breakfast will also cause your liver to make extra glucose. This can make controlling your blood glucose even harder.
If you eat right and exercise, your diabetes will go away. Diabetes is a lifelong disease that cannot be cured, but it can be controlled. Your treatment can change, but you will still have diabetes.

Eating the right foods during the day will help to keep your blood glucose normal. Physical activity will help use up blood glucose and make your insulin work better.
If you have diabetes, you cannot eat pasta, rice or sweets. There is nothing that you can't eat when you have diabetes. It is important to enjoy all foods in moderation. And be sure to count your carbohydrates each day.
If you use insulin, it means you have type 1 diabetes. People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes may use insulin.

If you have type 1 diabetes, you need insulin shots because your pancreas does not make insulin.

If you have type 2 diabetes and use insulin to help control your blood glucose, it does not mean that you have type 1 diabetes. In fact, nearly half the people with type 2 diabetes require insulin shots to help control their diabetes.
You can have borderline diabetes. No. Either you have diabetes or you don't. A diagnosis of diabetes is based on two fasting blood sugars more than 126 or any random blood sugar more than 200 with symptoms of diabetes.

The normal fasting blood sugar (FBS) range is 70 to less than100. If you have a FBS of 100 to 125, you have an "impaired fasting glucose" or "prediabetes." This means that your blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be considered diabetes.

Prediabetes can often be treated with a healthy meal plan and physical activity.

Remember: Talk to your diabetes educators or other members of your health care team if you have any questions about diabetes or your care.


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Related Resources

Allina Medical Clinic - Diabetes Education

Diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism specialists


 

Source: Allina Medical Clinic – Diabetes Education: Virginia Bennett, MS, RD, LD; Lacie Grevious, RN, CDE; Pat Kawlewski, RN, CDE; Therese Young, RD, CDE; Dawn McCarter, RN, CDE; Lindsay Thomas, RN, CDE

First published: 07/15/2008
Last updated: 07/15/2008

Reviewed by: Mary Frederick, RN, MS, CDE, diabetes program manager, Allina Medical Clinic

 

Dialog: Living with Diabetes comes courtesy of Allina.com. Part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, the Web site offers reliable health and wellness information, physician referral and other health resources, especially for people who live in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

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