Diabetes Introduction
Diabetes is a disease in which the body is not able to produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is produced by the pancreas. Insulin allows glucose to enter body cells and to be used as fuel. In diabetes, since there is a lack of insulin, the glucose builds up in your blood (instead of movivng into body cells). Elevated levels of blood glucose is carried out of the body through urine. Thus the term "sweet urine".
The high glucose level in the blood harms certain organs and tissues of our body. Over a period of time, diabetes damages retina of the eye (leading to blindness), the kidneys, the nerves and the blood vessels.
The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery. It is known that both genetic and environmental factors appeared to play important roles.
People with diabetes either do not produce enough insulin (type 1 diabetes) or is not able to use insulin properly (type 2 diabetes), or both.
Type 1 Diabetes:
This is a chronic disease resulting from the failure of the pancreas to produce enough insulin. It is estimated that 5% to 15% of all cases of diabetes belong to type 1. It is typically recognized in childhood or adolescence. It is also known as juvenile-onset diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Type 1 diabetes generally would require daily insulin treatment.
Type 2 Diabetes:
This disease occurs when the pancreas does produce some insulin but is not enough, or the body is not able (partially or completely) to properly use the insulin ( also kown as insulin resistance). It is estimated that between 85 - 95% of diabetes are of type 2. This type of diabetes is typically recognized in people over the age of 40. It used to be called adult-onset diabetes. Over half of all people with diabetes require insulin to control their blood glucose levels during the course of their illness.