Did you know that in 2012, 29.1 million Americans were diagnosed with diabetes? Approximately 1.25 million children and adults have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. (American Diabetes Association, 2015) More and more Americans are being diagnosed with diabetes, and it is more common than ever . But what’s really scary are the “myths” about diabetes that create a picture that contains false information and stereotypes. “If you eat too much sugar you get diabetes”, “If you have diabetes you can't eat sweets”, “You can catch diabetes from someone” and “Fruit is healthy, eat it as much as you want! (American Diabetes Association, 2015) Although these myths may be false, it is what most Americans believe. What is diabetes? Diabetes is a metabolic disease that, if left untreated, can become a serious illness. Diabetes is also called diabetes mellitus, it affects how your body releases blood sugar (also called blood sugar) in the body. Glucose is your body's main source of energy. When you have diabetes, your body is unable to break down glucose using insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin converts carbohydrates from food into sugar (or glucose) and can be used as energy or stored for another time. In a non-diabetic person, the pancreas regulates insulin in the body. After eating a meal, blood sugar levels rise and beta cells in the pancreas release insulin into the bloodstream. Allow insulin to absorb sugar from the bloodstream. In a person with diabetes, the beta cells of the pancreas are destroyed or damaged and are unable to get rid of sugar, leading to high glucose levels, also called hyperglycemia. There is such a low blood sugar level, it is called hypoglycemia ... middle of paper ... you can't catch diabetes from a friend. It is not a contagious disease. It has to do with genetics and your own personal health. There are so many myths about diabetes that many people don't know the truth. There are also many support groups to talk about diabetes. Many people don't have a good support system, which makes living with diabetes difficult. Diabetes can cause a lot of stress and anxiety. If you are diagnosed at an early age, you need to think about the complications you may experience later in life if diabetes is not managed now. The things you do now will help you later. In conclusion, I hope my article gives at least one person more information about diabetes and not myths. Diabetes is a very complex disease which, if left untreated, can be life-threatening. The Best Thing a Person Can Do If Diagnosed