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Last year, there were over 2.5 million diabetes cases in Malaysia. But how much do you know, or understand about the disease?
Diabetes is contracted when the body doesn’t make enough insulin (a hormone that helps move sugar into your cells for energy) or doesn’t respond to insulin. One of the most common medication for this illness is injecting medication into their body.
There are two types of diabetes:
- Type 1 diabetes is when your pancreas makes little to no insulin due to an overactive autoimmune system
- Type 2 diabetes is when your body prevents the insulin it makes from working right, or when your body is making insulin but not enough.
- Gestational diabetes occurs to women during pregnancy. However, it doesn’t mean that the women had diabetes before or would continue having it after giving birth.
Now that you’ve understood what diabetes is, let’s address some myths that you’d likely have heard before:
#1 Diabetes patients can’t eat sugar
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False! A diabetic’s body can’t handle high levels of sugar, but this doesn’t mean they can’t take sugar at all. In fact, glucose is an important energy source. A diabetes patient can safely consume sugar depending on their medication intake and knowing how to manage their sugar intakes.
#2 Insulin can make you blind
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This is also false! Insulin is used as a natural diabetic medication. Blindness is caused by high blood glucose, and this can be delayed or prevented by good glucose control. In the past, insulin was commonly used as a last resort where severe diabetic complications had already set in, including loss of vision.
#3 Diabetes patients catch the cold easier
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False! The chances of a diabetic contracting a flu or any other illness is the same as everyone else. Still, being diabetic means illnesses are more difficult to control. For example, you might end up being hospitalised for the flu than those who’re not diabetic.
#4 Diabetes patients shouldn’t exercise
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This is false! Yes, taking insulin and increasing your physical activity could result in low blood sugar. However, this doesn’t mean diabetes patients are restricted from activity, or even extreme activity. It just needs to be balanced with medication and carbohydrates so that they can maintain healthy glucose levels.
#5 Obesity causes diabetes
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False. There are more obese people than there are diabetic patients who are obese. Being overweight can trigger diabetes but there’s more to it than weight alone. It also involves being genetically susceptible. Let’s say you are predisposed—being thin and eating healthy doesn’t necessarily prevent diabetes.
Facts about diabetes should be communicated to both diabetes patients and their caregivers so that they can get the best support, treatment and care. Allianz Malaysia, together their medical partner - National Heart Institute, is re-educating the public on diabetes and promoting the healthy lifestyles.
Tune into Lite from now until 23 December to learn more about it. You can also drop any queries about diabetes care and protection here, and you’ll get the expert advice from Allianz Malaysia & doctor from National Heart Institute (IJN) through Lite’s FB Live on 28 November and 12 December from 1pm to 1.30pm.
In the meantime, click here to check out the medical plan designed for diabetics, Allianz Diabetic Essential.