DIABETES MYTHS UNMASKED – 1
A lot of myths and fables surround diabetes in Nigeria and elsewhere. From those that state some astoundingly false claims about the diet of the person with diabetes to those that talks about impending doom not only for the eyes of the person with diabetes but also for the kidneys and other organs in the body. The person with diabetes and those that care for them thus have the responsibility to bring themselves up to speed on the current state of knowledge as it concerns diabetes.
A very common myth is the one which states that if you have a relative with diabetes, then you also will develop diabetes. Though it is true that diabetes runs in families and some genetic inheritance components have been identified in the development of diabetes, it is not true that once you come from such a family, then you must of a necessity also develop diabetes. It has been clearly proven that exercising for at least thirty minutes a day on four days in a week, maintenance of a normal Body Mass index (BMI) of between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2 or a Waist circumference of less than 102 cm (40 inches) for males and less than 88cm (32 inches) for females in conjunction with a healthful diet which contains lots of fruits and vegetables greatly reduces the risk of developing diabetes. It has thus been established that though you have a family history of diabetes, you can prevent diabetes developing in yourself by taking these simple steps.
Another common myth is the one that states that some people have only mild diabetes and thus do not need to aggressively control their blood sugar level. There is no such thing as mild diabetes. All forms of diabetes need to be faced squarely as diabetes and all attempts must be made to bring such a blood sugar under control. It is persistently elevated blood sugar levels that do a lot of damage to most organs within the body. All individuals with diabetes must ensure that the three key pillars in the management of diabetes which include exercising, dietary adjustment and medications as warranted are strictly adhered to. Left uncontrolled, any deviation from the upper limit of normal for blood sugar levels leads to damage to vital organs of the body especially the eyes. Hence, the belief that only Type 1 diabetes is the very severe form of diabetes while Type 2 diabetes is a mild form is very far from the truth.
It is commonly said that people develop diabetes because they consume a lot of sugar. This is very far from the truth. There is no cause and effect relationship between sugar consumption and development of diabetes. You may never have tasted sugar in your life and still develop diabetes, while on the other hand you may take loads of sugar and never develop diabetes. Is this then a leeway for unbridled consumption of sugar? Not in any way! It is clearly recognized that the more sugary drinks you consume, the greater your risk of becoming excessively fat and thus the greater the risk of your developing diabetes. Thus, as with most things in life, moderation in sugar consumption should be the watchword. Individuals who are overweight or obese and who aim to shed some weight should thus refrain from sweet drinks and other sugar containing foods like ice cream and cakes amongst many others in conjunction with starting an exercise regimen and reducing their food intake minimally and increasing their intake of vegetables. The belief that individuals with diabetes should under no circumstance take sugar, sweets, ice cream or cakes is also very far from the truth. During episodes of low blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemia), these should be quickly consumed in order to raise the blood sugar to safer levels. Individuals whose diabetes is well controlled can also consume these in minimal amounts from time to time to add spice and variety to their meals. For example, when an individual with diabetes wishes to take some ice cream as dessert, there is then the necessity to reduce the amount of food consumed during the main course so as not to lead to abnormally high blood sugar levels after the meal.