After you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you are more than likely to receive some misinformation about living with and managing the condition. Some myths are based on information from 20 years ago. Others simply persist despite their complete lack of accuracy. To help you dispel the common misperceptions surrounding diabetes, here are some real facts that you can put into practice:

Myth: Diabetes is caused by eating too much sugar.

Fact: No one is really sure what causes diabetes, but we do know what does not cause it. Although type 2 diabetes is associated with obesity and can be traced in families, it is not directly linked with an intake of sugar or transferred from one person to another.

Myth: People with diabetes should not eat sugar or starches; they should only eat special diabetic foods.

Fact: Until a few years ago, this myth was considered true. It was not until the mid-90s that the leading diabetes information resource, the American Diabetes Association (ADA), changed its position on sugar as a result of new nutritional research. Today, no foods are considered off limits, as long as they are eaten in moderation as part of a well-balanced meal plan. In fact, some special sugar-free foods are often filled with other carbohydrates and artificial ingredients, so you may be better off eating normal foods. Talk with your healthcare team about which foods may be right for your diet.

Myth: People with diabetes cannot do certain jobs.

Fact: For many years, people with diabetes were restricted from certain military assignments, driving trucks and other professions. But because the general population realized that people with diabetes often take better care of themselves than people without diabetes, these jobs are no longer off limits.

Myth: Women with diabetes should not get pregnant or breast-feed.

Truth: Women with diabetes should work with their healthcare team to properly manage their blood sugar levels before and throughout their pregnancies. Women with type 1 diabetes have a 1–2 percent chance of passing diabetes on to their children, and women with type 2 diabetes have a 30 percent chance.* Breast-feeding is also recommended, as it is good for both the mother and child. If you choose to breast-feed, you will need to work with your doctor and dietitian to adjust your meal plan while you are nursing.

Myth: An air bubble in an insulin syringe is considered dangerous.

Truth: An air bubble is only dangerous in the sense that it is difficult to measure your insulin accurately. Because insulin is not injected into a vein, tiny air bubbles should not pose a problem or risk.

Myth: Once you are taking insulin or other diabetes-related medications, you can eat anything you want.

Truth: Medications, including insulin and other diabetes-related pills, are just one part of a structured treatment plan. Along with eating right and getting proper amounts of exercise, they can help you manage—but not cure—diabetes. Maintaining a healthy weight level through careful meal planning and regular activity help insulin and medications work more effectively and may even reduce the amount you need. But there is no cure for diabetes yet—and medication is not a substitute for taking care of yourself.

* University of Virginia Health System. "Pregnancy, Your Baby, and Diabetes," 2002. Available at: http://www.virginia.edu/uvaprint/HSC/pdf/41002.pdf. Accessed July 24, 2006.

If this article interested you, here are some other resources

ADA Article on common myths and education.

Riva Greenberg's book, 50 Diabetes Myths That Can Ruin Your Life: And the 50 Diabetes Truths That Can Save It at Amazon.com