As much as diabetes has become a prevailing disease and health condition around us, the misrepresentations and fallacies that have clouded society in a number of ways and manners. It has now become difficult to know what is an accurate advice on the disease or a harmful stigma about it. It can be confusing how some people say that eating too much sugar may lead to diabetes but also, to prevent eating sugar-free diabetic food, once diabetic.
So, we have Dr Archana Batra, a Dietitian, Physiotherapist and a Certified Diabetes Educator debunking a few myths and misbeliefs that surround diabetes among general people. Here’s what you need to know for a better and healthier lifestyle:
1. Starchy food must be avoided
Starchy food, also known as carbohydrate foods such as wheat, rice, bread, cereals form a major part of one’s balanced diet. They are the main sources of energy giving components and must not be avoided at all cost. However, since starch breaks down to glucose, which is also a source of energy for the body, it is essential to know the right quantity of carbohydrates required by your body.
2. Once diabetic, you should not change your diet plans. Just pills and medications can work!
There are two types of diabetes, Type-2 diabetes is a cumulative disease that keeps intensifying with time, if not taken care of. When diagnosed with Diabetes, the pancreas in your body is still producing some amount of insulin. But if you do not change your eating habits and diet plans according to the disease, the pancreas might stop doing so soon and you will have to rely only on pills and insulin injections. Therefore, it is necessary to change and adopt a healthy eating habit and diet plan consulted from your dietician according to your health conditions.
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3. Alcohol consumption is constrained for diabetic people
You can consume alcohol but the key is to stay under the limit. It is always recommended to not be a regular consumer of alcohol and have alcohol free days in your diet plan. This is so because alcoholic drinks add a lot of calories to your diet and also works as a stimulator for your appetite that makes it difficult for you to stick to your healthy diet plan.
4. You are more likely to get an illness if you are diabetic.
Being diabetic does not make you more prone to illness. However, the management of blood glucose level is altered in diabetes which may increase the severity of illness or infection once caused. This depends on the health condition and severity of diabetes as well. Therefore, it is necessary to follow a healthy lifestyle and also precautionary steps to prevent infections and illness.
5. Natural products and supplements can cure diabetes
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Medically, there is no proper cure to treat diabetes completely. Therefore, any claim by product that says it can cure diabetes is false. Many natural products or supplements may lessen a few diabetic effects, but none of them can cure them. It is also said that a few times, these products can instead interact with diabetes medications and hinder their effect, causing further complications in diabetes risk.
So, always consult your doctor before taking any medications or remedies.
