De-bunking Diabetes Myths

Have you ever heard a rumor that was so ridiculous you wonder how it started? I’ve heard several of these relating to different medical condition, including diabetes, and have wondered what people were thinking when they started it. As the philanthropy and outreach coordinator of Socks4life.com, I’ve had the pleasure of speaking to our customers who have diabetes, and they have shared a few outrageous myths they’ve heard with me. Below are three of the most ridiculous ones I’ve heard:

1. Patients with diabetes should avoid exercise- This is untrue, but do meet with your doctor to determine what intensity level you should start at.

2. Diabetics are more likely to catch a cold or the flu- While patients with diabetes should take extra precautions to prevent the flu or cold, they aren’t more likely to catch either. Managing both diseases is very difficult with diabetes, so it’s highly recommended that diabetics receive a flu shot.

3. Patients with diabetes need diabetic socks- Even though I work for Socks4life.com which sells diabetic socks, I can tell you this isn’t true. Those that have neuropathy (which can accompany diabetes) could benefit from the extra cushioning and seamless toes that characterize diabetic socks. However, they certainly aren’t a necessity for patients with diabetes.

Myths like this are ridiculous and my team hopes to help de-bunk them. As a first step, we created this info graphic to spread the truth behind diabetes: