subject: Diabetes - False Theories [print this page] There is a saying that says "there is a little truth in every lie".
This can be especially true when it comes to diabetes and other chronic diseases. Everyone seems to have an opinion, even if they know nothing about the disease itself. This is unfair and confusing to some. This article will try and expose some of these "truths" and deal with them.
Probably one of the most common ones is that eating a piece of chocolate will kill you. I've had it said to me. I wonder, do people like to say these things to depress others or simply annoy them?
In fact, chocolate won't kill you anymore than eating too much raw sugar. The fact is, that some diabetics, particularly those newly diagnosed, may take comments to heart. The fact is, a little chocolate is fine, and may even be necessary, for example in the case of an extreme hypoglycaemic episode.
Proper monitoring of blood sugar levels, and maintaining good control, will prevent the onset of some if not all of the potential very unpleasant medical consequences later in life, but will also give you a "window" for eating a small amount of sugary food.
Moving on to another myth; this is the subject of cures for diabetes. The internet in particular is full of people trying to make a quick buck. Some of the worst are those who claim that this product they are selling is a "miracle cure".
None of these "miracle products" have been properly tested, nor do they carry any contact address to use when you find you're not cured and you want your money back, that's if you're still around to collect it as the saftey aspect appears to have gone unnoticed. It is vital that one only takes recognised drugs, no matter how much more expensive they are compared to this wonder drug.
A favourite is that some say once you're taking insulin it's all over. Death within a few short years.
How is that possible. Injecting insulin is simply providing a natural hormone by a syringe, rather than the pancres.
Secondly, as medical science makes more discoveries and new oral medicines are produced, many people have been taken off insulin altogether, to have it replaced by new oral medications.
It is true that people who take insulin need to monitor their blood sugar levels very closely and live the lifestyle of a type 1 diabetic, but there is no reason to live a long life.
