Diabetes: Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or use insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. It helps control the amount of glucose in the blood. Without insulin, the body cannot use or store glucose, thereby causing too much sugar to be in the blood.
High sugar levels can cause a lot of damage to the body. Some common side effects are increased problems with eyes, kidneys and even feet and legs. While the effects of diabetes are similar among all sufferers, there are actually different types of diabetes.
Types of Diabetes
The kind of diabetes care a person requires will depend on the type of diabetes that person has. Diabetes can be divided into Type 1 and Type 2. With Type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce, or produces very little, insulin. Type 2 diabetes results from insulin resistance. That means that in addition to the body producing very little insulin, it also does not properly use the little that it has.
The majority of people who require diabetic care have Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 can often be controlled with lifestyle and diet changes. Though people with Type 2 diabetes still need to regularly check their blood sugar levels and may sometimes need to take additional medications, it is Type 1 that requires regular insulin shots every day.
