Description
About one in seven
U.S. adults has diabetes now, according to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. But by 2050, that rate could skyrocket to as many as one in three.
Many of us don’t understand diabetes. To help contain this leading cause of disability
and death, it’s important to separate fact from fiction.
Eating too much sugar
FICTION: Eating too
much sugar causes diabetes.
FACT: Many factors
lead to the development of diabetes. Genetics, nutrition, exercise and
lifestyle all play a role. Sugar may contribute to type 2 diabetes if it leads
to weight gain, but it doesn’t cause the disease. “A diet high in calories —
whether they’re from sugar or fat — raises your risk for type 2 diabetes,”
said Mounaf Alsamman, MD, a family medicine
doctor with Allina Medical Clinic – Brooklyn Park. “In
this disease, your pancreas makes little or no insulin or your body’s cells
don’t use it well. As a result, blood sugar can’t move from your bloodstream
into the cells that need it for energy.” Alsamman tells his patients that sugar
does not cause diabetes but it still needs to be monitored or reduced. “You
just have to make sure to build your sweet treats into a healthy eating and
exercise plan,” he explained.
A healthful, balanced
diet as well as regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight can help
prevent diabetes. Go for gradual, achievable changes to your sugar intake, such
as cutting back on sweetened beverages.
Weight and diabetes
FICTION: Only people
who weigh far too much will develop type 2 diabetes.
FACT: People of all
ages and body types can develop type 2 diabetes. Being overweight is just one
of the risk factors. Many people with type 2 diabetes are at a healthy weight
or just moderately overweight. Excess weight increases your risk for the
disease. Being slimmer reduces your risk, but it doesn’t get rid of it. People
of any weight may be affected.
Family history and
diabetes
FICTION: If I have
type 2 diabetes risk factors, such as a family history, I’m bound to get it.
FACT: Diabetes does
have a strong genetic component, and if you have a family history of diabetes
blood tests are recommended every few years starting at age 20. However,
diabetes is also strongly affected by lifestyle factors such as weight and
eating habits.
According to Warren
Shepard, MD and internal medicine doctor with Allina
Medical Clinic – Cokato and Allina
Medical Clinic – St. Michael, "If a patient has a family
history of diabetes, we start talking about it early and teach skills about
nutrition, exercise and healthful eating. We can also diagnose prediabetes much
earlier than in the past, and we can provide education, tools and sometimes
medicine to prevent or delay the diagnosis of diabetes."
Lifestyle and diabetes
FICTION: Reducing my
risk for diabetes requires a major lifestyle overhaul.
FACT: Small steps can
add up to greatly reduce your risk for diabetes or delay its onset. No special
foods or Olympian exercise regimens are required. Experts recommend sensible
adjustments: eating smaller amounts of fatty foods and walking more.
Is diabetes serious?
FICTION: I can manage
diabetes, so it can’t be serious.
FACT: Diabetes is a
major contributor to heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, vascular/blood
vessel disease and vision loss. “One of the most common complications for
diabetes is foot infections,” said Alberto
Ricart, MD, an infectious diseases doctor with Allina
Medical Clinic – Fridley. “Numbness and poor circulation in the feet
from diabetes allows small foot sores to become worrisome ulcers that don’t
heal well. If the sores get bad enough, patients can lose toes or even a foot.”
Besides amputation, other complications include heart disease, stroke,
blindness and kidney failure.
Diabetes can be
managed, but it is serious. If a person with diabetes has good control of blood
sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol and does not smoke, the risk of
complications will be much lower. Medicine will help, but it can’t do
everything. Small lifestyle changes — such as 30 minutes of light to moderate
activity daily — make a big difference. In addition, eating a balanced diet and
eating smaller portions will make a difference. Doctors and patients must work
together to prevent complications. The good news: If you successfully manage
diabetes, you may be able to reduce or even stop taking medicine.
Will I have symptoms
if I'm developing diabetes?
FICTION: If I’m
developing type 2 diabetes, I’ll know something is wrong.
FACT: Some people do
have low energy levels, increased thirst, increased appetite, increased need to
urinate and unexplained weight loss or gain, but nearly one-quarter of the
people in the United States with diabetes don’t know they have it. Everyone
should have a yearly physical to review their health, discuss risk factors and
have screening tests. If you do not have a family history and other risk
factors, your doctor will start screening you at age 45. If you are younger
than that, ask your doctor if you think you need a blood glucose test to screen
for diabetes.
Can I eat as much
fruit as I want?
FICTION: Fruit is a
healthy food, so I can eat as much as I want.
FACT: Fruit does
contain many nutrients, but some fruits also have a lot of calories and sugar.
Blackberries and raspberries are relatively low in sugar and calories. Fruits
in the medium range are oranges, pineapple, watermelon and peaches. High-sugar
fruits include bananas, grapes, cherries and mangoes.
0 comments:
Post a Comment