A great deal of misinformation surrounds diabetes and here we look at 7 common diabetes myths:

� Individuals suffering from must eat a special diabetic diet. So called 'Diabetic' varieties of certain foods which are frequently sold in health food stores are nothing more than a simple marketing ploy. People with diabetes should simply eat a normal balanced diet which is low in fat and which contains only moderate levels of both salt and sugar.

� People with diabetes should only eat very small amounts of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates, which are found in a variety of foods including bread, beans, cereals, pasta and rice and from which the body gets much of the glucose required for energy, are a very important part of our diet, whether we are diabetic or not. These foods also contain a lot of our essential fiber intake. The secret for diabetes sufferers is simply to ensure that you balance carbohydrates with other foods and that your food portions are kept to a reasonable size.

� Diabetics cannot eat candy or chocolate. There is no reason at all why diabetics should not eat candy and chocolate, and indeed cakes and sweet desserts, as along as they are taken in moderation and are only one single element of a normal and healthy diet plan.

� Taking insulin can lead to hypertension and hardened arteries. Early tests lead to the belief that insulin may play a part in triggering processes that are associated with the development of hardened arteries but this has shown to be incorrect and there is no evidence that insulin causes either hypertension or hardening of the arteries.

� People with diabetes are prone to catching flu and colds. There is no evidence to demonstrate that diabetics are any more or less likely than anybody else to catch a cold or flu. Diabetics should however do their best to avoid such illnesses (by, for example, having an annual flu shot) because illnesses of this nature can interfere with levels of blood sugar, and therefore make the management of diabetes more difficult.

� Diabetes is contagious. This is not the case. It is believed however that diabetes sufferers have a genetic predisposition for the disease and that it may be triggered by such things as viruses and drugs, which includes antibiotics. It is possible therefore that contracting a common illness, or treating such illnesses with antibiotics, may lead to diabetes.

� Consuming too much sugar can cause diabetes. In spite of the fact that the causes of diabetes are not entirely understood, it is known that excessive sugar consumption is not one of them. Having said this, eating excessive sugar could well lead to an individual gaining weight, which is most certainly a factor in raising the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, it is not the sugar but the excess weight that may trigger diabetes.

The list of myths which are associated with diabetes goes on and on, however the 7 myths listed here are probably the most often heard and, in time, will hopefully be liad to rest.

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