As with any disease, diabetes is surrounded by a plethora of myths regarding the disease itself. The following are common myths for diabetes and a few facts to debunk them on the spot.

First Myth: You have to give up all sweets, including the well loved chocolate bar.

Myth debunked: Are you exercising and eating healthy meals catered around being diabetic? A dessert or sweet treat now and then are okay. Don’t make it a regular habit and go easy on the portion, as anyone making healthy food choices should be doing, diabetic or not.

Second Myth: Diabetes is contagious.

Myth debunked: The cause for diabetes may still be a mystery, but it is not contagious. There may be a play in genetic make up, but not the ability to catch the disease from someone else. So go ahead - hug that diabetic!

Third Myth: Don’t overdose on the carbs.

Myth debunked: Again, it’s not necessarily the type of food, but the regularity of consumption and the amount consumed. The body needs some carbs, so eat a good meal and a good meal means appropriate sized portions.

Fourth Myth: There are no boundaries on fruit intake.

Myth debunked: Fruit is a great source of fresh vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but it’s also drenched with natural sugars and carbs. It’s okay to partake, but in moderation. Ask your doctor if you’ve got concerns.

Fifth Myth: Sugar intake causes diabetes

Myth debunked: Not! It doesn’t cause diabetes, but it sure can complicate it if too much sugar is consumed. Besides, sugar will add weight quickly and excessive weight is hard on the body, plain and simple. If diabetes runs in your family, it’s even more important to watch your weight and exercise regularly.

Sixth Myth: Diabetic food is the best choice

Myth debunked: Not (again) Diabetics, like everyone, need a healthy meal plan that is low in fats. Salt and sugar should be used in moderation. Whole grains, veggies and fresh fruits are all a plus.

Seventh Myth: Life-expectancy is short.

Myth debunked: Whereas the life-expectancy of a diabetic diagnosed with childhood diabetes was not good years ago, great advances have been made for the newly diagnosed to live a long and normal life if they follow their doctor’s guidelines and treatment plan. Good news!

Eighth Myth: Once diagnosed with diabetes, life as you knew it is over.

Myth debunked: Whoever said that is behind the times. Life is different - you’ve got a disease to manage but it does not have to manage you. Live as if you believe it.

The typical American lifestyle reads like the ADA’s list of risk factors. We’re obese and inactive. We eat foods that give us high blood glucose and high cholesterol. We stress ourselves out and raise our blood pressure. It’s not surprising, then, that there are over one and a half million people with type 2 diabetes in California alone.

Here are some of the most common symptoms of diabetes. If you find yourself experiencing them, it may be a good idea to check with your doctor.

• Frequent urination
• Extreme hunger
• Excessive thirst
• Unexplained weight loss
• Blurry vision
• Increased fatigue
• Irritability

Some people get “pre-diabetes,” a condition characterized by high blood glucose levels, but nothing high enough to diagnose as diabetes. This can still be harmful to the body, but if you are aware of the possibility, you can prevent it from ever becoming full-blown diabetes.

The best way to avoid diabetes is to keep your blood glucose levels healthy now. This means eating right - plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains over Wonderbread, fish, dried beans, lean meats, diet drinks over sugar-laden ones, liquid oils over solid fats. This also means cutting back on the desserts and generally watching portion sizes. Really, it’s the wonder diet you’ve been looking for.

The other key to avoiding diabetes is lots of exercise. If you can walk instead of driving, do it. Anything that gets you moving will help, whether its running or climbing or swimming or playing tennis. If you feel that you may be at risk, talk to your doctor about safe exercise for people who may have trouble maintaining healthy glucose levels during exercise.

Diabetes has become an epidemic in America, but if we can wise up, it doesn’t have to continue to be one.

Wrapping one’s mind around diet nutrition can sometimes be confusing. For instance, a 120-pound fifteen-year-old girl will not need as many calories as a 220-pound twenty-five-year-old man. To further confuse matters, that 120-pound fifteen-year-old girl’s 150-pound peer of the same age will need more calories. A fifteen-year-old girl with juvenile diabetes will have an entirely different set of nutritional needs as well. Online, there are many resources and tools to help the average American figure out what his or her dietary needs are, depending on height, weight and level of physical activity.

The “2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans” are the most current recommendations for diet nutrition, at least until the 2010 edition comes out. According to the guidelines, a “healthy diet” is one that is full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products, including lean protein like poultry and fish, beans, eggs and nuts, and is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, sodium and sugar.

Consumers are encouraged to make smart choices and eat a wide variety of foods, while staying within the caloric needs for their height and weight. Each day, Americans should be consuming calories, amino acids, essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. While requirements change for people depending upon their size and level of physical activity, the average person consumes around 50 grams of fat and 2,000 calories per day to remain at a stable weight.

For someone with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, the normal dietary rules may not apply. Generally, most diabetics will need to reduce the amount of fat consumed (particularly saturated fat), quit smoking and reduce alcohol consumption to no more than 3 or 4 per day. Diets should be rich in mono-unsaturated fats (like olive oil), oily fish, starchy whole grain carbohydrates (bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, cereal), and fresh fruits and vegetables.

A diabetic will need to check his or her blood sugar level before eating to see that it’s 70 to 130 and then again a few hours after eating to make sure it’s below 180. People with low blood sugar will need to have certain snacks handy, like fruit juice, hard candy, sugar or honey, soft drinks and milk. Small or medium sized women should eat 1,200 to 1,600 calories per day (6 starch, 3 vegetables, 2 fruits, 2 milks, 4-6 ounces protein and up to 3 fats). Larger women or small to medium sized men should have 1,600 to 2,000 calories (8 starch, 4 vegetables, 3 fruits, 2 milks, 4-6 ounces protein and up to 4 fats). For more information, check out the Diabetes Food Pyramid at Nih.

Americans seeking counseling on their dietary habits, whether they wish to gain or lose weight, can find assistance online. Websites like Shapeup or Eatright focus on consumer education centered on diet and weight loss. The National Institute of Health offers information on the 2005 guidelines and Food Pyramid at Nutrition website. Several nation-wide programs can help dieters find greater online support and practical resources at Fitday, Weightwatchers, Sparkpeople, Ediets, Mywebmd Nutrition, Nutricise, Changeone, Cyberdiet or Caloriescount.

Weight loss is one common factor that most diabetics have to work on. Depending upon the weight one needs to shed off, a diet is recommended. Obese diabetics need to consume food that will help them shed weight as well as manage their blood sugar levels. 2000 calories diabetic diets are generally not difficult to follow. 2000 calories allow you to indulge in good amount of healthy food and is basically for people who are not very obese. Losing weight helps in bringing back the sugar levels to normal. There are several 2000 calorie diabetic diet sample menus to choose from, however do consult your doctor for the best diet plan.

Eating every food in the right proportion will help you stay healthy. Avoiding junk and fried food is good if you want to lose weight. Fresh fruits and vegetables are good source of essential nutrients. Having them in right servings will help you maintain a balance. A diabetic needs to include complex carbohydrates in his/her meals which can be obtained from whole grains. Try whole grain pasta or a bread for breakfast. Too much of carbohydrates can trigger sugar level imbalance. Food high in sodium and fats also need to be eliminated from your meals. However, 20 percent of fat is a requirement for the reproduction process of the body.

You do not have to follow a complicated diabetic diet in order to stay healthy.

Restrict your servings to every food group and you can feel the change. A 2000 calorie diabetic diet is all about taking in only 2000 calories daily from your meals. The monitoring tools will help you check the calorie count. Here is a sample menu for consuming up to 2000 calories a day. For breakfast, a cup of pasta, along with 2 slices of bread, one egg, a cup of yoghurt that is sugar free and a serving of fruit is good enough. For fats, you can have a 2 slices of bread with a spoon of margarine spread on it.

Lunch can comprise of 2 servings of vegetables, and a small portion of chicken or turkey. Fish is an excellent source of vitamins and should be a part of a diabetic diet meal plan. In place of pasta, you may like to have a cup of cooked brown rice or 2 slices of bread with some peanut butter. For evening snack, a cup of herbal tea or coffee is healthy. A fruit and some nuts are good to munch during the evening break. Dinner can be servings of either a meat or fish. Baked or roasted meat is delicious as well as healthy. One serving of fruit and 2 servings of vegetables should be included in the meal. A cup of skimmed milk will be easy after a dinner.