Working in our community health centers, or even just by being a citizen of the U.S., you can be sure that all of us know someone or know of someone who has diabetes. Yet while its prevalence rises, along with research & development of new medications and treatments, it’s surprising how slowly, in comparison, diabetes education lags behind.
Many beliefs that have been in place for decades are still going strong in our diabetes community today. These beliefs are likely passed down through the generations, much like the disease itself. One of the directives of our Diabetes Self-Management Program at Adelante Healthcare is to dispel some of these long-lived myths for our patients:
Myth #1: It’s My Own Fault I Have Diabetes
Enough with the blame and shame…diabetes is caused by a metabolic defect, the origin of which has a largely genetic component. If most people have a pancreas comparable to my 4-cyllinder Mazda 3, people with diabetes have a pancreas more like a Schwinn: it poops out a lot faster. And, as we as a society become less and less active and have more and more food available, our genetics cannot keep up, and those less-fortunate folks with the Schwinn get slapped with diabetes. By the way, 78% of overweight Americans do NOT have diabetes, so although extra weight certainly does not help the person with the Schwinn of a pancreas to delay their diabetes onset, it can certainly not be pinned down as the cause.
Myth #2: People With Diabetes Cannot Eat Sugar
Please spread the word! All foods raise blood sugar to some extent…to focus just on avoiding sugar and not looking at the total carbohydrate in foods eaten not only unnecessarily deprives the patient of any sweets, but puts them in harms way as other foods, such as fruit, milk, and starch continue to raise their blood sugar. This leads us to another myth, that healthy foods do not raise blood sugar. This is another whopper! Giving your diabetic aunt a bowl of fresh fruit while everyone else eats birthday cake is not necessarily helping (aside from being totally not cool!) On the same note, a fruit smoothie may have twice the amount of carbohydrate as a small coke. People with diabetes need to be aware of the total quantity of carbohydrate that is present in different foods so they can make smart choices about what and how much they eat manage their blood sugars safely.
Myth #3: My Doctor Takes Care of My Diabetes
Although we all know our providers are dedicated to providing excellent care, our healthcare system is most effective in treating acute illnesses. Chronic illnesses, like diabetes, require much more time and monitoring than the doctor, or any other health care professional, can possibly provide. It is a 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week job to manage diabetes. Therefore, the only person who can take care of the patient’s diabetes is the one with the pancreas….the patient.
That is why our Diabetes Self-Management Program, complete with a Registered Dietitian and Clinical Pharmacist, is designed to teach the patient through hands-on learning. The curriculum is spread over a 4-week period so patients can learn the information, apply it at home while living their daily lives, and then bring back their results and questions for feedback and continued discovery. We strive to provide our patients with diabetes with care unlike what they have ever received, and create positive outcomes for many a blood vessel. Reserve your seat in our program by calling (623) 546-2294.