(Originally posted at the now-defunct Capessa website, an effort of Proctor & Gamble, in November 2008. As with many “republished” blog posts, I have taken the liberty of editing this piece slightly.)
Four years ago this month, before I knew that November was Diabetes Awareness Month in the United States, diabetes made itself well aware in my life. Although I had been with my husband in dating, cohabitation, and two years of marriage up until that point, I hadn’t yet observed a significant moment in my type 1 husband’s life.
That all changed by a phone call from a paramedic who had come to my husband’s aid in the grocery store aisle where he had experienced a hypoglycemic seizure. Only a few months later, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Genetics and a case of undiagnosed hypothyroidism contributed to this event.
These days, our life together is marked by diabetes in both of its major forms. And so, November becomes awfully important for us to discuss diabetes with others. Some of the common myths of both types of diabetes include:
Diabetics cannot eat sweets and chocolate. Actually that’s wrong. When included as part of a meal plan and treatment regimen, those with diabetes can eat desserts on an occasional basis.
Eating too much sugar is what causes diabetes. Nope, it is a combination of genetics, diet, and exercise that causes type 2 diabetes. Being overweight can increase your risk if a good diet and exercise are not part of your lifestyle, however. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune response that may be genetically based with no relation to diet.
Special diabetic foods should be included in a diabetic diet. Unfortunately, these foods often include sugar alcohols, which can increase blood sugar levels just as much as sugar. In fact, sugar alcohols can contribute to unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects.
Insulin causes weight gain. If insulin usage is managed properly, there can be little or no weight gain. For many, insulin is necessary for quality of life. In the case of type 1 diabetes, those with the condition must take insulin to survive. In type 2 diabetics, the benefits of glucose managment sometimes outweigh the risk of weight gain.
At this time, the risks of type 1 diabetes are widely speculated but still unknown. Sometimes there is a genetic link, other times not. However, if you know you are at risk of type 2 diabetes, please consider an annual screening of fasting blood sugar. Handled well, diabetes can be an inconvenience and sometimes a source of great frustration, but it doesn’t need to be a death sentence.
Filed under: Diabetes | 3 Comments
“No.”
Great post Rachel.
Aha! I think I’ll print this out to give to those people who feel a need to monitor what I put in my mouth. Nice going, Rachel!
Always good info to post. I get especially bonkers about the insulin causing weight gain thing. That’s a misconception that seems to be rampant amongst diabetics. I’m probably a little over-reactive to that one because of my own history of fear and hostility towards it, but the reality is that it’s necessary to live and be healthy, which is the part too many people seem to forget. As you said, managed properly, weight gain is not an absolute.