China is a big country with diabetes. Recent statistics show that the number of diabetes patients among adults aged 18 and above in China has exceeded 100 million. However, there have always been some misunderstandings about diabetes. Dr. Clove listed the ten most common misunderstandings and told you about the real appearance of diabetes.
Myth 1: Diabetes is not a serious disease.
Fact: Every year, the death rate caused by diabetes far exceeds that of breast cancer and AIDS. Patients with diabetes are several times more likely to suffer from heart disease than normal people. However, good blood sugar control can effectively reduce the occurrence of diabetic complications.
Myth 2: Overweight or obesity will definitely lead to type 2 diabetes.
Fact: Obesity is indeed one of the risk factors for diabetes, but other factors such as family genetic history, race and age will also affect the occurrence of diabetes.
But many people ignore other risk factors for diabetes, Think of obesity as the only cause of diabetes. The reality is that many people with type 2 diabetes are normal in weight or only slightly overweight. Very fat people are not necessarily diabetic, although obesity is a risk factor for diabetes and other metabolic diseases.
Myth 3: Eating too much sugar can lead to diabetes.
Fact: This problem is more complicated.
Type 1 diabetes is caused by genetic factors and unknown factors. Type 2 diabetes is closely related to genetic factors and lifestyle.
Overweight does increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, and any unhealthy high-calorie diet will increase weight gain.
Studies have shown that drinking sugary beverages is closely related to the occurrence of type 2 diabetes. Generally speaking, sugary beverages include:
- General soda and carbonated drinks; Fruit juice, including mixed fruit juice, fruity beverage and concentrated fruit juice; Functional beverages; Sports drinks; Sugar tea drink; Some prepared milk, milk-containing beverages, vegetable protein beverages, including coconut milk, walnut milk, etc.; Other sugary drinks.
These drinks can raise blood sugar rapidly. A sugary drink has hundreds of calories, for example:
- A 350 mL tin of soda contains about 150 calories and 40 grams of sugar. This is equivalent to the calories provided by 10 cubes of sugar. A glass of mixed fruit juice beverage and other sugary fruit juices contain 100 calories and 30 grams of sugar, or even more.
Myth 4: Diabetes patients should eat a special diabetes diet.
Fact: No matter diabetics or healthy people, there are common standards for a healthy diet: low saturated fatty acid and low trans fat, moderate amount of salt and sugar, high quality protein, starch-free vegetables (green leafy vegetables, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.), whole wheat foods, healthy fats and fruits.
In fact, the diabetes diet is not as good as what’s compared with the common diet. The so-called [sugar-free] and [hypoglycemic] foods are only processed without adding white granulated sugar and other raw materials. After eating, they still raise blood sugar and are usually more expensive, so there is no need to choose them specially.
Myth 5: Diabetics can only eat foods with little starch.
Fact: Starchy foods can also be included in healthy recipes, but the amount of food is the key.
You can eat whole wheat bread, grains, flour, rice and starchy vegetables (such as potatoes, yams, peas and corn). In addition to these starchy foods, All kinds of carbohydrate-containing foods, such as fruits, beans, milk, yogurt and candy, should also be included in the overall diet plan because they can provide energy. By the way, starches are also carbohydrates, and they are only different types of carbohydrates from fruits and milk.
After calculating the appropriate carbohydrate intake according to your height, weight, etc., you can match different foods.
Myth 6: Diabetics cannot eat candy and chocolate.
Fact: Diabetics can eat candy and chocolate, provided that the sugar content of these foods is counted in the carbohydrate required every day, and diabetics need more exercise to control blood sugar.
Candy and chocolate are not as different from what for diabetics and ordinary people. Candy is characterized by a strong sugar-raising effect in a small amount, so eat more healthy foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, on weekdays. When an emergency occurs, such as hypoglycemia, a small candy can save a life!
Myth 7: Diabetes is contagious.
Fact: Not so! Although the specific cause of diabetes is still unclear, diabetes is not contagious.
Diabetes cannot spread from person to person like a cold or flu. The risk factors of diabetes are more related to genetic factors and lifestyle.
Myth 8: Diabetics are more likely to catch colds.
Fact: Having diabetes does not mean an increased chance of catching a cold.
However, influenza vaccination is still recommended for diabetics. This is because any infectious disease is more difficult to treat in diabetics, and their condition is more likely to deteriorate and produce serious complications.
Myth 9: Using insulin means advanced type 2 diabetes.
Fact: Diabetes treatment may only use oral hypoglycemic drugs, only insulin, or both insulin and oral hypoglycemic drugs. Endocrinologists will choose the most suitable one according to the different conditions of patients.
Many patients can control blood sugar well by taking oral hypoglycemic drugs, because the mechanism of action of some hypoglycemic drugs is to maintain blood sugar at normal levels by promoting human insulin secretion, such as sulfonylureas (usually the name of the drug begins with Glee).
When some patients are first diagnosed, doctors will use insulin for a period of time, also to give the patient’s pancreas [a rest], and then switch to oral hypoglycemic drugs.
Therefore, whether insulin is used cannot be used to judge whether the patient’s condition is serious.
Myth 10: Fruit is a healthy food and can be eaten without restriction.
Fact: Fruit is indeed a very healthy food. It contains cellulose, multivitamins and minerals. However, because fruits contain carbohydrates, how much you eat every day should be considered in the whole diet plan.
It is recommended to eat between meals and not more than one fruit the size of a fist a day.
Responsible Editor: Fei Fei