1. People with Diabetes cannot play sports or exercise. Completely untrue.Fact: Exercise is an essential part of a diabetic management program. The maintenance of a healthy weight and fitness level are key factors in living a long and fulfilling life as a diabetic.
2. People with Diabetes cannot eat anything with sugar. Wrong. Fact: Diabetics can eat sugar and sweets just like non diabetics. The key is moderation and ensuring the sugary snacks are incorporated into a healthy eating regimen and accounted for with appropriate dose of insulin.
3. All people with Diabetes must take insulin.Complete Myth.Fact: There are several different types of diabetes. People with Type 2 Diabetes are generally able to control their symptoms with diet and exercise. It is usually only people with Type 1 Diabetes who must use insulin injections to regulate their bodies.
4. People can get Diabetes from eating too many sugary things. Ridiculous Myth.Fact: You cannot 'catch' diabetes from eating too many sweets. Diabetes occurs as a result of a genetic predisposition and/or from a serious infection that creates an autoimmune reaction within the body.
5. Diabetes only affects obese people. Completely wrong. Fact: Diabetes can affect people in all stages of health and fitness. Type 2 Diabetes is associated with lifestyle factors such as obesity; however, a thin body type is not a guarantee against the development of diabetes.
6. People with Diabetes will die young. Not anymore. Fact: Way back in the 1920s this was true. But thanks to discovery of insulin and medical advancements over the course of the past 9 decades, diabetes isn't a death sentence any more. People with properly managed diabetes symptoms are just as likely to live long and fulfilled lives as their non diabetic friends.
7. People with Diabetes cannot have a family, job, 'normal' life. Nope, not true. Fact: Thanks to regular blood sugar testing and the ability to anticipate the need for insulin after meals and snacks, most diabetics can have children, be employed and live normal lives.
8. Diabetes can be controlled by diet alone and isn't that big of a deal. Definitely WRONG. Fact: Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to many potentially fatal issues. Diabetes is a big deal and needs to be managed properly through the recommendations of your health care team to avoid diabetic complications. While some types of diabetes do not require insulin injections or medications like metformin, others rely on it for continued survival.
9. People with Diabetes get sick more often than healthy people. Completely wrong. Fact: Having diabetes does not make people more prone to the flu or colds. In fact, most diabetics are more observant about sanitary practices and avoiding viruses and germs because having the flu makes diabetes difficult to manage.
10. Insulin cures Diabetes. Sadly untrue. Fact: Insulin does not cure diabetes. There isn't a known cure for diabetes yet, but there are many medical studies and clinical trials underway that are actively seeking to cure it.
