Diabetes Information and Prevention

Diabetes is a life-long disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood. Glucose comes from the foods you eat. Insulin is a hormone that helps the glucose get into your cells to give them energy. Glucose is the main source of fuel for the body. An estimated 18.2 million people in the United States--6.3 percent of the population--have diabetes, a serious, lifelong condition. Diabetes can be caused by too little insulin (a hormone produced by the pancreas to control blood sugar), resistance to insulin, or both. There are three major types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in childhood.

The body produces little or no insulin, and daily injections of insulin are needed to sustain life. Type 1 diabetes is usually due to the auto-immune destruction of beta cells in the pancreas. Symptoms of Type 1 diabetes usually develop over a short period, although the destruction of beta cells can begin years earlier. Symptoms may include increased thirst and urination, constant hunger, weight loss, blurred vision and extreme fatigue. Type 2 diabetes is much more common than type 1 and makes up most of all cases of diabetes. It usually occurs in adulthood. The pancreas does not produce enough insulin to maintain blood glucose standardal.

The risk of developing type 2 diabetes is increased if it runs in your family. Nine out of ten people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes and over 80% of these people are overweight. Most Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women - about 135,000 cases in the United States each year. Some women develop gestational diabetes late in pregnancy. About 20%–50% of affected women develop type 2 diabetes. Women with gestational diabetes are more likely to have large babies. The treatment of diabetes is highly individualized, depending on the type of diabetes.

Diabetes Treatment and Prevention Tips There are many steps to get rid of diabetes. Some include

1. Insulin must be given as an injection.

2. Aspirin therapy also recommeded.

3. Smoking cessation can also help lower risk.

4. Lose weight if you are obese and begin an exercise program.

5. Metformin medicine also helpful or type 2 diabetes.

6. Anti-hypertensive medicines to control high blood pressure.

7. A statin, such as simvastatin or atorvastatin, to reduce high cholesterol levels

8. Exercise, weight control and sticking to your meal plan can help control your diabetes.