Diabetes myths and facts

We constantly hear in the news about how people in our country are becoming more and more at risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. With all of the information out there, it's no wonder some people can get confused as to what diabetes is and what effect it can have on your life. Here is a very cursory list of some of the common misconceptions surrounding diabetes, along with a short explanation of the facts. This is for general information only; only your doctor can give you a true diagnosis or health advice.

Myth #1: Diabetics have to eat “special food” and can't eat with the "rest of the world".

Fact: Yes and no. There are definitely foods diabetics shouldn't eat and “versions” of foods that are more diabetic-friendly. Your average diabetic diet, though, just includes a lot of produce and whole grains. They need to limit the amount of fats and refined sugar they consume, which means that some processed foods are "out". Anyone can benefit from this. 

Diabetics do have to be careful about their carbohydrate consumption because these foods can raise blood sugar, but that doesn't necessarily mean they can't have them at all. They and their doctor can work out exactly what a person's dietary restrictions are.

Myth #2: Diabetes isn't really *that* serious.

Fact: Yes, it is. Uncontrolled diabetes can  cause a number of complications, up to and including death. The nerve damage diabetes can cause makes it more difficult for oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to get to the eyes and/or extremities, which can literally make those parts die.  Smoking and drinking to excess can make this process faster, so it is especially important that people with

diabetes avoid these things.

Myth #3: A diabetes diagnosis means your life as you know it is over.

Fact: You'll definitely need to make some lifestyle changes; there's no getting around that. You'll need to learn to read food labels properly to be sure you're getting the necessary nutrients while cutting back on fats and sugars. You'll likely need to lose weight and adopt a more active lifestyle, but aren't these things you should be doing anyway? You'll definitely need to learn to read food labels properly and cut back on processed foods, but that's something anyone can benefit from. I'm told that, while learning all this new information is a daunting task, it gets easier as time goes on. 

It's also been said that following a good diet can make type 2 diabetes easier to deal with and, in some cases, can even reverse it. I used to work at a weight loss clinic and saw this pretty often. 

Myth #4: Being overweight and eating too much sugar causes type 2 diabetes.

Fact: Not exactly. They're definitely risk factors, but things like ethnicity and heredity make a difference too.

On a related tip, a person doesn't have to be overweight to get diabetes. While being overweight is a factor, “skinny” people can get it too if they don't take care of themselves.

For more information, visit 

http://m.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/.

Pregnancy Myths and Facts

A friend of mine just told me that she was pregnant. This was completely unexpected, especially since she thought she couldn't get pregnant at all. She sees it as a blessing now, but there was a time in her life when an unplanned pregnancy would be considered anything but. In that vein, here are a few myths and misconceptions some people have about pregnancy. I know some of these things seem kind of 'juvenile', but you'd be surprised what beliefs some people carry into adulthood. Also, this could be a good article to share with your teenage daughter.

1-You can't get pregnant the first time.

Fact-If you get your period, you can get pregnant. It doesn't matter whether it's your first time or your fifty-first time.

2-You can't get pregnant if you have sex on your period.

Fact-Not really. There may be days when a woman is less likely to get pregnant than other times in the month, but that is not 'foolproof' by any means. For one thing, ovulation can occur more than once a month or at unpredictable times, even if a woman's cycle is usually 'regular'. This is one reason natural family planning (aka the 'rhythm method') isn't as effective as other methods.

Also, sperm can live for up to five days in a woman's body. This means that, even if there were 'safe days', sperm could 'wait' for another day.

3- I don't need to use the Pill because I don't have sex enough to make it worth the cost/effort/etc.

Fact-Technically this could be true, especially since there are other forms or birth control (i.e. contraceptive sponges, patches) that can provide ongoing protection. However, the Pill can also help with things such as PMS or irregular periods. It's all up to you.

4- You can't get pregnant if he 'pulls out'. 

Fact-Yes, you can. Even if he doesn't ejaculate inside you, a man's penis secretes a small bit of fluid right beforehand that contains sperm.  It might not have as many sperm as ejaculate does, but it only takes one to do the trick!

5-You can't get pregnant if you drink a lot of Dr. Pepper.

Fact-I just made that up.

6-I can't get pregnant while breastfeeding.

Fact-This is only partly true. It is true that ovulation and menstruation don't happen very often when a woman is regularly breastfeeding a baby. However, this 'blissful state' doesn't last forever; since periods do eventually come back, it's possible to ovulate without knowing it.

7- I don't need to use a condom because I use The Pill/an IUD/etc.

Fact-While they are effective in preventing pregnancy, The Pill and IUDs do not help prevent HIV or any other STD.

And finally, here's another sort of 'myth':

8-Women over <insert age here> shouldn't have babies because the child will come out with ten arms and six heads.

Fact-This is my hyperbolic way of saying that it doesn't matter how old you are. In the past there were concerns that a baby born to a mother over the age of 35 would come out with Down's Syndrome or other chromosomal defects, but science has advanced to the point where this isn't a problem.

Just like I said above-if you get your period, you can get pregnant. Women in their mid-30s and above may have a higher instance of fertility problems, but that doesn't mean that pregnancy is impossible or not recommended.

For more information, check out http://womenshealth.about.com/od/birthcontrol/tp/10birthcontrol.htm. Have a good day!