Diabetes means that your blood sugar is
too high. Your blood always has some
sugar in it because the body uses sugar
for energy; it's the fuel that keeps you
going. But too much sugar in the blood
is not good for your health.
Your body changes most of the food you
eat into sugar. Your blood takes the
sugar to the cells throughout your body.
The sugar needs insulin to get into the
body's cells. Insulin is a hormone made
in the pancreas, an organ near the
stomach. The pancreas releases insulin
into the blood. Insulin helps the sugar
from food get into body cells. If your
body does not make enough insulin or the
insulin does not work right, the sugar
can't get into the cells, so it stays in
the blood. This makes your blood sugar
level high, causing you to have
diabetes.
If not controlled, diabetes can lead to
blindness, heart disease, stroke, kidney
failure, amputations (having a toe or
foot removed, for example), and nerve
damage. In women, diabetes can cause
problems during pregnancy and make it
more likely that your baby will be born
with birth defects.
Types
Type 1 diabetes is commonly
diagnosed in children and young
adults, but it's a lifelong
condition. If you have this type of
diabetes, your body does not make
insulin, so you must take insulin
every day. Treatmentfor
type 1 diabetes includes taking
insulin shots or using an insulin
pump, eating healthy,
exercising regularly, taking
aspirin daily (for some), and
controlling blood pressure and
cholesterol.
Type 2 diabetes is the most
common type of diabetes — about 9
out of 10 people with diabetes have
type 2 diabetes. You can get type 2
diabetes at any age, even during
childhood. In type 2 diabetes, your
body makes insulin, but the insulin
can't do its job, so sugar is not
getting into the cells. Treatment
for type 2 diabetes includes
taking medicine, eating
healthy, exercising regularly,
taking aspirin daily (for some), and
controlling blood pressure and
cholesterol.
Who gets diabetes?
About 20 million Americans have
diabetes, about half of whom are
women. As many as one third do not know
they have diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes occurs at about the same
rate in men and women, but it is more
common in Whites than in minorities.
Type 2 diabetes is more common in older
people, mainly in people who are
overweight. It is more common in African
Americans, Hispanic Americans/Latinos,
and American Indians.
Who is at risk ?
Those Who are
older than 45
Overweight/obese
High Blood
pressure
High
Cholesterol
Couch potatoes
History of
heart disease, stroke or diabetes
How to avoid Diabetes... Use your head
!
Like every other illness we have discussed we play a
major role in causing our own problems. The answer
is simple live a Wise & Healthy Life.
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