26/08/2026
Someone told me today that diabetes is caused by worms. 😂
When I asked her, “Who told you that one?”
She said, “I saw it on the Internet.”
My people, Internet will not finish us. 😂
And this is exactly why I always tell people to be careful about the health information they consume online.
We got talking, and as we continued the conversation, she told me about someone in her family who has diabetes.
According to her, the person has been taking medication, but the blood sugar is still often high.
Then I asked her a very simple question:
“What does the person normally eat?”
She started mentioning the foods.
Rice.
Yam.
Bread.
Swallow.
Beans.
Snacks.
Drinks.
And I immediately understood something.
The problem wasn't that this person didn't know they had diabetes.
The problem was that nobody had really taught them how to eat with diabetes.
You see, many people think that once someone has diabetes, the only thing they need to do is take their medication.
So they take their medication faithfully and continue eating the same way they have always eaten.
Then the blood sugar remains high.
They become frustrated.
They start wondering, “But I'm taking my drugs. Why is my sugar still high?”
My darling, medication is important, but it is not a magic eraser for everything that happens on your plate.
And please don't misunderstand me.
I am NOT saying anyone should stop taking their diabetes medication.
Take your prescribed medication as directed by your healthcare professional.
But nutrition matters too.
This reminded me of a client I worked with.
His blood sugar was always high despite taking his medication.
When he came for nutrition counseling, he was already doing one thing right: he was taking his medication.
But when we started discussing his food, I discovered that he was struggling with portions and everyday food choices.
And this is where many people get confused.
They ask:
“Dietitian, can I eat rice?”
“Can I eat yam?”
“Can I eat swallow?”
“Can I eat beans?”
“Can I eat fruits?”
My answer is usually not simply YES or NO.
Because food is not that black and white.
The more important questions are:
How much are you eating?
How often are you eating it?
What are you eating it with?
What else are you eating throughout the day?
And what does your overall lifestyle look like?
So instead of giving this client one long list of foods he could never touch again, we started from what he already eats.
He eats Nigerian food.
He wasn't going to suddenly wake up and start eating imported “diabetic foods” every morning. 😂
So we worked with his reality.
We looked at his usual meals.
We looked at his portions.
We looked at his meal combinations.
We looked at his drinks and snacks.
And I taught him how to make more appropriate choices without making him feel like having diabetes meant he could no longer enjoy food.
That part is very important to me.
Because I don't want someone to leave my consultation frightened of food.
I want them to understand food.
There is a difference.
After we started working together, he became much more intentional about what he ate.
He began paying attention to portions.
He understood better how to structure his meals.
He became more conscious of the foods and drinks he was taking.
And most importantly, he began to understand WHY he was making these changes.
That is the part many people miss.
You can give someone a meal plan today.
But if they don't understand why the meal plan looks that way, what happens when they travel?
What happens when they attend a party?
What happens when there is no brown rice in the house?
What happens when they want to eat amala?
What happens when someone serves them rice and stew?
Do they throw away everything because their Dietitian is not there?
No.
The goal should be to teach them how to make better decisions in real life.
And that is why personalized nutrition care is different from simply downloading a “diabetic food list” from the Internet.
Because your body, lifestyle, medications, food preferences, portions and daily routine are not exactly the same as another person's.
So please, before you believe the next thing you see on Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp or Google, ask yourself:
WHO IS GIVING ME THIS INFORMATION?
WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE?
AND DOES IT APPLY TO ME?
Because if you are not careful, today they will tell you diabetes is caused by worms.
Tomorrow, someone will tell you bitter leaf can permanently cure it.
Next tomorrow, another person will tell you to stop taking your medication because one particular drink will “flush out” the sugar.
Please, let's be guided.
Diabetes is a serious health condition, and managing it properly requires more than social media advice.
If you have diabetes and your blood sugar is consistently high despite taking your medication, don't just sit down and blame yourself.
Speak with your healthcare team.
And please don't stop or change your medication without medical advice.
Look at the whole picture.
Your medication.
Your food.
Your portions.
Your physical activity.
Your lifestyle.
Your monitoring.
Everything matters.
Sometimes, the problem is not that you don't care about your health.
Sometimes, you simply haven't been taught what to do.
And that is one of the reasons I love what I do as a Dietitian.
Because sometimes, my job is not to tell you, “DON'T EAT THIS.”
Sometimes, my job is to sit with you and say:
“Okay, this is what you normally eat. Let's see how we can make it work better for your health.”
Because you don't have to be afraid of food because you have diabetes.
You need to understand it.
And please…
If you see anywhere on the Internet that says diabetes is caused by worms, abeg, don't forward it to your family group yet. 😂
Come and ask questions first.
Your health is too important to be left to WhatsApp University. 😂❤️
I am Dietitian Ayankoso Lydia Tolulope,
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist | Lecturer | Lead Consultant / CEO Richlyd Diet Clinic
Passionate about helping individuals and families eat right, live light, and fulfill purpose through practical and evidence based nutrition.
©Dietitian Ayankoso Lydia Tolulope, RDN
