You CAN Beat Diabetes

Research from the Diabetes Prevention Program fact vs fiction.

Fiction: If your at high risk for diabetes, your going to get the disease.
Fact: They found that those who lost even a little weight and exercised consistently (a goal of 30 minutes five days a week) reduced their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58%.

Fiction: Diabetics need a special diet.
Fact: Not long ago diabetics were urged to forgo sweets and drastically limit their intake of carbohydrates. New research suggests that diabetics are best served by following the same healthy guidelines everyone else does; plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat and dairy products, and sparing amounts of heart-healthy fats.

Fiction: There's a cure for diabetes.
Fact: There is no cure for type 1 or type 2 diabetes, but according to a study published by Annals of Internal Medicine, 56% of type 2 diabetics who followed a Mediterranean style diet could control their blood sugar without medication.

Fiction: Being overweight causes diabetes.
Fact: Just because you're heavy doesn't mean you'll automatically get diabetes. Experts agree that being obese, especially combined with a genetic predisposition for diabetes, can trigger the disease. The Journal of the American Medical Association showed that those who were obese at age 50 and gained 20 pounds were 5 times likelier to develop diabetes than those who weren't obese at 50.

Fiction: An insulin pill is right around the corner.
Fact: An insulin pill is not imminent according to the ADA. There are alternatives to injections, though. Finesse insulin patch-pen, expected to be available in late 2011. The patch-pen is disposable and cheaper than an insulin pump.