Diabetes is a common condition that can be the result of genes or can develop from obesity and diet patterns and other causes.
Although there is increased awareness about diabetes, there are plenty of misconceptions about the condition.
Diabetes results when there is an insufficient amount of insulin to deal with glucose levels in the blood.
This can result either from a problem with the pancreas itself or from an excess of glucose.
Although one may reason that eating too much sugar is responsible for the development of this ailment, sugar consumption alone tends not to cause it. Obesity, age and other medical issues can increase one’s risk of developing diabetes.
Although many diabetics take medication, the treatment alone is not enough to alleviate symptoms but should be coupled with diet and lifestyle changes. It is possible to eat the occasional sweet as long as the amount of sugars and carbohydrates is kept to a minimum.
Fruit, alcohol and starchy foods should be consumed only sparingly, but do not need to be cut out from the diet. Not all carbohydrates are harmful, and whole grains, legumes and other nutritious high-carbohydrate foods can be beneficial because of the nutrients they provide and because they do not raise glucose levels quickly. The following are common misconceptions about diabetes.
1. You Can’t Eat Dessert
Diabetics can enjoy dessert with their meal, even an occasional cookie, or slice of low-sugar cake as long as it is balanced with other sugars or carbohydrates in the meal. Knowing your safe limit is the key. While carbohydrates are not necessarily the enemy, they should be limited to 45 or 60 grams per meal.
Once you learn how to estimate carbohydrates in the average meal, you can make allowances for an occasional indulgence, even a cookie now and again. Being too strict may make it harder to resist temptation, so enjoy something sweet occasionally.
