Fact: According to South Africa’s statistics, diabetes is the cause of death for South African women in South African women. The only thing it overshadows is Covid-19, which only reflects the year in which the status was recorded-2021. Diabetes is now responsible for more deaths in SA than heart disease, cancer and HIV. “We are faced with a crisis of public health,” says Ingrid Singels, Marketing Manager for the Scientific Department for Pharma Dynamics. “Worldwide affects diabetes men and women alike, but in South Africa we see significantly more women who live with diabetes than men, and they are also more difficult to complications. But diabetes remain and are under diagnosed.” A factor that contributes to the epidemic are diabetes myths that show that it is particularly widespread in women, and these myths can delay the diagnosis, hinder treatment and aggravate the results.
In addition, women have a unique (read: more complicated) manifestation of diabetes compared to men. According to a major literature overview in 2019 in BMC medicine, women with diabetes experience a 13% higher risk of death for all reasons, a 30% higher risk of death in cardiovascular diseases and a higher risk of deaths from coronary heart disease compared to men with diabetes. Here we discuss 11 of the greatest diabetes myths.
Myth 1 – too much sugar to eat causes diabetes
Too much sugar does not cause diabetes, but an unhealthy lifestyle and a bad diet. It is a combination of genetics and other unknown factors that trigger the beginning of type -1 diabetes, and type -2 -diabetes is caused by genetics and lifestyle factors. The truth is that a diet with high kilojoules can lead to being overweight, which increases the risk of the development of type -2 diabetes.
Myth 2 – diabetics cannot eat sugar or sugar -containing foods
Diabetes does not mean that you have to have a sugar -free diet. In the past, diabetics were recommended to avoid sugar as far as possible, but the investigations show that sugar from fruit, vegetable and dairy products are an acceptable part of a healthy diet. Diabetics should be able to enjoy a variety of food, including some with sugar. In fact, up to 10% of the total daily energy requirement can consist of sugar, such as table sugar and sugar -containing products, without negative effect on blood sugar levels.
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Myth 3 – People with diabetes should avoid certain fruits
The conviction that diabetics should avoid certain fruits such as grapes and bananas is a widespread misunderstanding. You can still achieve good blood sugar control while involving these fruits in a balanced diet because you have a similar sugar content per portion as other fruits. Grapes and bananas are both healthy food selection for people with diabetes, since they are low in fat and filled with vitamins and minerals. In addition, strong studies show that a higher absorption of entire fruits (blueberries, grapes, apples) is associated with a lower type -2 -diabetes risk, while fruit juice is associated with a higher risk.
Myth 4 – diabetics should eat special diabetic food
Many diabetics believe that foods that are referred to as “suitable for diabetics” are beneficial or even important for good health, although many of these products can have high fat and calories with saturated fat and calories and can yet increase blood sugar levels. According to Cindy Chin, dietary and nutritionist at Woolworths, the key to nutrition for diabetics is to include a variety of food and to focus on portion size and balanced meals.
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Myth 5 – pregnancy diabetes (GDM) is temporary, so it is not a big deal
This state does not develop due to hormonal changes during pregnancy that cause insulin resistance, not on the basis of nutritional decisions. Pregnancy diabetes concern 3-20% of pregnant women, depending on the risk factors, and while overweight risk increases, women of all body sizes can develop the condition. The misunderstanding that eating habits cause pregnancy diabetes leads to unnecessary guilt and shame in pregnant women. Nevertheless, GDM increases the later risk of a woman for type -2 diabetes by about eight to ten times and increases the future cardiovascular risk. Ongoing screening and prevention systems for years after pregnancy.
Myth 6 – Diabetes among women is the same as in men
Compared to men, women with diabetes are exposed to a higher relative risk of fatal coronary heart disease and a higher risk of heart failure if coronary diseases are present. Some scary statistics:
- The latest data show that women with type -2 diabetes have a 27% higher risk of stroke and a risk of dementia risk by 19% than men than men
- It is less likely that women achieve improved blood sugar levels and receive less intensive care compared to men
And hormonal fluctuations of women play an important role in the effects of diabetes on our body. The early menopause (before the age of 40) increases the risk of type 2 diabetes compared to menopause after the age of 50. Cyclical hormonal changes also make diabetes control more difficult in women before menopause. If women know this, it is important that women take care of their health.
Myth 7 – cinnamon (or a ‘natural’ addition) can replace diabetes medication
Short answer: It is not a medication replacement. Explanation: Studies indicate that cinnamon can reduce fasting glucose or lipids, but it is not a substitute for medication.
Myth 8 – Only obese people get diabetes
Excess body fat, especially around the stomach, significantly increases the risk of type -2 -diabetes by promoting insulin resistance. And while obesity plays a major role in increasing your risk for type -2 diabetes, it is not the full picture. A so-called “normal” weight does not exclude the visceral fat (the “bad” species in its organs) or a low muscle mass, both of which can contribute to type 2 diabetes.
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Myth 9 – Insulin is addicted, so you should avoid it
In women there is frequent fear of insulin injections and the idea that insulin is addictive or can cause blindness. According to studies, these are not true. In addition, however, it was shown that the introduction of insulin reduces the complications in connection with diabetes at an early stage. Insulin is a natural hormone that was made by the body and cannot cause addiction.
Myth 10 – You can always see when your blood sugar is high
This is the most common misunderstanding in several studies. In studies, 64% of patients in Taiwan and 54% of a minority population in the United States believe that they can feel increased glucose level. The truth: high blood sugar often develops slowly without early symptoms. According to experts, this myth can prove dangerous because it can properly prevent the monitoring of blood sugar levels.
