3. Myth: Once you start taking diabetes medicine you can eat anything you want.
Reality: Your diabetes medicine is more effective when you follow a healthy eating plan. Also, when eating healthy, you might not need as much medicine to lower your blood glucose levels.
4. Myth: Insulin pills can help control diabetes.
Reality: Insulin is a protein; it cannot be taken by mouth because the stomach would not digest it. Insulin must be given by injection, insulin pump through the skin or inhaled. Diabetes pills help by making the body produce more insulin, use its own insulin better, produce less blood glucose from the liver, or limit carbohydrate absorption after a meal.
5. Myth: If I fail to manage my diabetes I will need insulin.
Reality: Most people with type 2 diabetes will eventually need to use insulin because diabetes is a progressive disease that changes over time. If diabetes pills no longer keep your blood glucose levels in a safe range, it is not your fault.
6. Myth: Insulin is a cure for diabetes.
Reality: Insulin is not a cure for diabetes. At this point, there is no cure; there are only medicine and behaviors that can control diabetes. Insulin helps to control diabetes by keeping the blood glucose from rising.
Constance Brown-Riggs, MSEd, RD, CDE, CDN is a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, national speaker and author of The African American Guide to Living Well with Diabetes.. She is Dannon One Yogurt Every Day Nutrition Advisor.