written by Maya Bryant
Myth: I’m not overweight—so I won’t get diabetes.
Truth: Though maintaining a healthy weight can dramatically cut the risk of getting diabetes, genetics can still play a part."
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Myth: Diabetes is not that serious of a disease
Truth: Diabetes causes more deaths than breast cancer and AIDS combined, 67% of people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke making this disease very serious.
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Myth: I don’t need to visit my doctor – I’ll know if I have diabetes.
Truth: Many diabetes symptoms are mild and go unnoticed, this is why it is very important to visit a physician yearly for checkups.
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Myth: I can’t be diabetic because my parents weren't diabetic.
Truth: Many develop the disease with no record of it in their family. Everyone should watch what they eat and exercise regardless of family history.
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Myth: Only adults get Type 2 Diabetes
Truth: Recently, many children have developed Type 2 diabetes due to the epidemic of childhood obesity
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Myth: I have borderline diabetes.
Truth: You either have it or you don’t. Your doctor may tell you that you are on your borderline of developing the disease.
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If you don’t have diabetes, there’s a high chance that you know someone with the disease. This disease affects all races, but is most prevalent in African-Americans and Latinos. Diabetes can lead to several complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, amputation, and even blindness.
There are three types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational:
Type 1 (also known as juvenile diabetes) affects children and young adults whose bodies do not produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that converts food to energy. Fortunately, people affected by this disease can maintain a healthy life with insulin therapy and other treatments.
Type 2 diabetes, hyperglycemia, is the most common form of diabetes. This type is developed when the body produces insulin, but does not use it properly: insulin resistance. The pancreas overproduces insulin to try to compensate for this malfunction, but the attempt is simply not enough.
Lastly, gestational diabetes occurs in 18% of pregnancy. This happens when hormones from the placenta mistakenly causes the mother’s body to be resistant to insulin, which results in the body not using all the insulin it needs for pregnancy.
SOURCE: Diabetes.org
