5 diabetes myths

×Myth #1: You have to eat low carb

·NOPE! It is possible to have excellent diabetes control, improved insulin sensitivity, and control your weight by eating COMPLEX carbs filled with fiber

×Myth #2: People with type 1 diabetes can’t eat sweets

·Please do not hold back the dessert tray from someone with type 1 diabetes. They will make the decision as to whether or not the FEEL like eating sweets. It's not that they CAN'T. If they want it, they can have it, and they bolus their insulin for it.

×Myth #3: Food is the only thing that impacts blood sugars

·People sometimes get confused with blood sugar numbers because even though they eat the same thing for breakfast every day, the blood sugar response can be very different. This happens.

·Other things that impact blood sugar

˃Stress

˃Sleep

˃Pain

˃Illness

˃Those who menstruate - time of the month

×Myth #4: insulin pump fixes everything

·If only! An insulin pump is not a pancreas. The person who wears an insulin pump still needs to be very engaged with their diabetes care and still has to tell the pump how many carbs they are about to eat. This tech space is improving, but it is not an automatic pancreas (yet)!

×Myth #5: A person needs insulin if their blood sugar is low

·NO! SO DANGEROUS! Giving someone with low blood sugar more insulin will make it worse and can be fatal. They need rapid acting sugar if they can eat or drink. If not, they need a hormone called glucagon that can be sprayed in the nose or injected to help increase blood sugars.