Around 3.5 million people in the UK have some form of diabetes, and more worryingly, 550,000 have the disease but do not know about it.  National Diabetes Week is being promoted by Diabetes UK is all about raising the profile of a condition which affects a wide range of people.

The Diabetes Myth Buster! (Source: Diabetes UK)

  • Type 2 diabetes is a mild form of the condition – all forms of diabetes are serious and it requires careful control
  • People cannot have sugar – this is not the case, but people with diabetes must have a balanced diet
  • ‘Diabetic Food’ should be eaten – these are not recommended by Diabetes UK as they are tend to be expensive and it is better to have a general balanced diet
  • People with diabetes go blind – if you control your condition and have a healthy lifestyle the risk can fall rapidly
  • It is not safe to drive – if the condition is properly controlled there is no reason why someone cannot drive although it should be declared to the DVLA
  • People with diabetes cannot play sport – this is untrue, people should exercise and athletes such as Steve Redgrave (Olympic Gold Winner) who have the condition, demonstrates this
  • People with diabetes get more colds – this is untrue, but someone with the illness may take a little longer to get over medical conditions
  • People with diabetes cannot cut their own toe nails – if you are healthy and mobile there is nothing stopping you carrying out this task
  • Flight Socks cannot be worn – these items carry a warning but if you are generally healthy there is no reason why they cannot be used
  • It is hard to get travel insurance – you must tell your insurer of any medical condition but deals are available, and this includes policies through Diabetes UK.

Independent Living Owner, Mark Booker, commented “Several of our customers have diabetes and we are committed to raising its profile.  It’s a condition which, if controlled, will not stop someone living a full and active life.  However, many of our customers are elderly, live alone and may also have conditions such as memory loss or Parkinson’s which can of course make the control of diabetes harder.  We pride ourselves on helping our clients control the condition and ensure that they get the best care”.