Diabetes Misinformation
Reviewed by Staff of Diabetes Digest

Confused about your diabetes? Do you really have to avoid sugar? Do glucose meter results always have to be in the normal range? Do artificial sweeteners actually cause brain tumors? Read on to get answers to these and other questions.

1. If you have diabetes, you must give up your favorite foods. FALSE. Years ago, this may have been the advice people with diabetes were given, especially if there was sugar in those foods. With newer medicines, blood glucose monitoring and new research, there is no reason to avoid sugar or give up your favorite foods. For people with diabetes, foods with carbohydrates are the greatest concern because they raise blood glucose levels. Sources of carbohydrate include pasta, rice, bread, cereals, cakes, fruit, fruit juices, milk and yogurt, as well as starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, corn, peas and dried beans. Here is a way to see if you are choosing the portions that are right for you: Test your blood glucose two hours after you take the first bite of a meal. If your glucose level is below 180 mg/dL, then your food and medication or insulin levels are in balance. If your level is higher, then your carbohydrates and medication or insulin levels are out of balance. Discuss ways to achieve this balance with your health care team.
2. Once you start using insulin, you can’t stop. TRUE AND FALSE. This is true if you have type 1diabetes. Your body does not make its own insulin, so you must take it in order to live. If you have type 2 diabetes, however, it may be possible to reduce your need for insulin with weight loss, regular physical activity and food choices.
3. Artificial sweeteners can cause cancer. FALSE. The safety of artificial sweeteners has been proven over and over again in many studies around the world. Some people may not tolerate certain types, but no cases of cancer or serious illness have been linked to their use. False Internet rumors about the dangers of artificial sweeteners have been around since the late 1990s. Artificial sweeteners open up a world of eating options to those who choose to avoid sugar, allowing them to have their favorite foods without affecting their blood glucose levels.
4. Exercise only helps if you sweat and bring your heart rate up. FALSE. All movement is important. Even brief periods of physical activity can help improve your health. Here are a few activities suggested by the American Heart Association:
   • Walk your dog.
   • Stand up while talking on the phone.
   • Do your own housework.
   • Throw away the television remote and change the channels by yourself.
   • Park farther away from the mall and walk to the stores.
   • Stretch to reach items in high places and squat or bend to view items on low levels.
5. Your blood glucose meter tells you about your overall blood glucose levels. FALSE.A blood glucose meter does not show your overall blood glucose levels. It provides a snapshot of your blood glucose level at that moment in time, but does not tell you about your blood glucose levels between checks. The true measure of your overall blood glucose is your A1C level. This tells you your average glucose level for the past two to three months. It also helps you understand your risk for the complications of diabetes. Most experts recommend an A1C level below seven percent. If your A1C is within this range, you are probably working hard to manage your diabetes and have lowered your risk for diabetes complications.
6. If you have” borderline” diabetes, you are fine. FALSE. The term borderline diabetes refers to what is now called prediabetes. Your glucose levels are higher than normal, yet they are not high enough to be diabetes—usually between 100 and 125 mg/dL, fasting. If you make lifestyle changes at this time, it is possible to avoid or delay developing type 2 diabetes. Losing 5-10% of your body weight and moderate exercise (walking 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week) can make this happen.
7. If you feel fine, your blood glucose levels are on target. FALSE. It is not always possible to know your blood glucose and blood pressure levels based on how you feel. Your body can get used to the feelings that high levels cause and you may even feel worse when they return to a normal level. Don’t rely on how you feel. Test your blood glucose at home, and have your A1C and blood pressure, cholesterol, kidney function and eyes checked regularly.
8. If you have type 2 diabetes and take insulin, you are a failure. FALSE. Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease. This does not mean that you get worse. It just means that medicines that worked for you in the past may no longer work as well, even if you do all you can. If you need insulin, you have not failed. Your body just requires a different type of treatment. It may help to know that most people who start taking insulin feel so much better that they wonder why they waited so long.
9. Only overweight adults are at risk for type 2 diabetes FALSE. You don’t have to be over-weight to develop type 2 diabetes and you don’t even have to be an adult. Today, many American children are developing what used to be a type of diabetes that only occurred among adults. Being overweight, lack of physical activity and poor food choices have put our nation’s youth at great risk. You can help your children and grand-children avoid type 2 diabetes by helping them stay active and at a healthy weight.
10. With diabetes, blood glucose levels are more important than blood pressure levels. FALSE. Diabetes greatly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. About 3/4 of people with diabetes die of some form of heart or blood vessel disease. Pay attention to your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. These are as important as your blood glucose. Don’t base your health care decisions on diabetes misinformation. If you hear something that sounds incorrect or confusing, ask a trusted health care professional. A life with diabetes can be long and fulfilling.