Myths About Diabetes

The epidemic of our age, diabetes threatens children as well as adults. A healthy diet, a lively life and maintaining ideal weight are of great importance both in terms of preventing diabetes and controlling the disease. In addition, diabetic patients should continue to comply with the recommended treatments and have their physician controls without interruption. The beliefs that are well known but wrong in the society about diabetes, that is, diabetes, lead to negativity in the treatment process by misleading patients. Memorial Ankara Hospital, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Assoc. Dr. Ethem Turgay Cerit listed 10 correct mistakes about diabetes.

One in 20 people between the ages of 79 and 11 has diabetes

Diabetes is defined as a disease that occurs because the organ called the pancreas cannot produce enough or no insulin. Type 1 diabetes, if there is little or no insulin secretion; If the amount or effect of insulin is insufficient, type 2 diabetes occurs. Type 2 diabetes is the most common in the society. According to the latest diabetes atlas of the International Diabetes Federation, it is estimated that one in every 20 people between the ages of 79-11 has diabetes and a total of 463 million type 2 diabetic patients in the world. It is predicted that this number will increase to 2030 million in 578. According to the study TURDEP-II is expressed in the adult population in Turkey is 13.7 percent incidence of diabetes. Again, according to the International Diabetes Federation, 20 million children and adolescents under the age of 1.1 are struggling with type 1 diabetes in the world.

Risk is higher in overweight and stressful jobs

The risk of having type 4 diabetes is higher in people with diabetes in their family, overweight people, women who have a baby weighing more than 2 kilograms, and those who work in stressful jobs and lead a sedentary life. In addition, chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic tumors, surgeries, and some hormonal diseases and drugs can also cause diabetes.

Here are the mistakes about diabetes!

* Women with diabetes cannot or should not become pregnant.

FALSE! Thanks to strict diabetes control and today's modern pregnancy tracking methods, women with diabetes have a chance to have a healthy baby, just like women without diabetes. However, what is important is that diabetic women conceive in a planned way while their diabetes is under control.

* Those with diabetes should not eat fruit, sweets and chocolate.

FALSE! Healthy eating means consuming many foods such as vegetables, fruits, lean red meats, chicken meat and fish in the right amount and form. People with diabetes can enjoy meals as much as anyone else by learning how to incorporate their favorite foods into their diet. The important thing is to consume the right amount and form. Diabetic patients can get support from healthcare professionals who follow them in this regard.

* Diabetes patients get gangrene.

FALSE! There are many reasons such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, which can lead to stiffening and obstruction in the follow-up. Diabetes is also one of the causes. However, there is no question that vascular occlusion and gangrene will occur in every diabetic patient. If blood sugar and other risk factors just mentioned are under control, there will be no ground for vascular occlusion.

* Sexual life of diabetic patients ends.

FALSE! Diabetes does not affect everyone in the same way, and many people with well-controlled diabetes do not have any problems with sexuality. However, in some men whose diabetes is uncontrolled for a long time; By causing damage to the nerves, diabetes can slow down the transmission of signals from the brain to the male sexual organ, and also disrupt the function of the nerves that control the blood flow required for erection.

* Some herbal products eliminate diabetes completely.

FALSE! There is no herbal product that has a clear and clearly demonstrated effect in the treatment of diabetes. On the contrary, some herbal products may have serious side effects on our vital organs such as kidneys and liver.

* Those with diabetes become obese. 

FALSE! In general, obesity is associated with type 2 diabetes through insulin resistance, but there are many other factors other than obesity among the causes of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can develop without obesity due to genetic factors, drugs used, past pancreatic diseases. In addition, patients with type 1 diabetes who lack insulin in the body are mostly normal or underweight.

* Insulin use harms the organs.

FALSE! Insulin use does not harm organs, on the contrary, using insulin when necessary prevents and slows down damage to organs due to uncontrolled diabetes.

* Insulin is addictive.

FALSE! Insulin use is not addictive. Since there is no insulin production in patients with type 1 diabetes, the use of insulin is mandatory. However, even if it is a condition where the use of insulin is mandatory in patients with Type 2 diabetes, when diabetes is controlled during follow-up, the treatment can be continued with drugs used in pill form by discontinuing insulin.

* Diabetes is an infectious disease. 

FALSE! Diabetes is a chronic disease that progresses with an increase in the blood sugar of the individual as a result of insulin deficiency or ineffectiveness and the problems caused by this. It is inherited and may be in a few people in the same family, but it is not a microbial and contagious disease.

*Using insulin while pregnant harms the baby and increases the risk of diabetes in the baby.

FALSE! Insulin use during pregnancy does not harm either the mother or the baby. Since insulin does not pass through the placenta, it is the most reliable diabetes medication for the baby.