What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disorder that affects the way your body
uses food for energy. Normally, the sugar you take in is digested and
broken down to a simple sugar, known as glucose. The glucose then
circulates in your blood where it waits to enter cells to be used as
fuel. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps move the
glucose into cells. A healthy pancreas adjusts the amount of insulin
based on the level of glucose. But, if you have diabetes, this process
breaks down, and blood sugar levels become too high.There are two main
types of full-blown diabetes. People with Type 1 diabetes are completely
unable to produce insulin. People with Type 2 diabetes can produce
insulin, but their cells don't respond to
it. In either case, the glucose can't move into the cells and blood
glucose levels can become high. Over time, these high glucose levels can
cause serious complications.
Pre-Diabetes:
Pre-diabetes means that the cells in your body are becoming resistant
to insulin or your pancreas is not producing as much insulin as
required. Your blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high
enough to be called diabetes. This is also known as "impaired fasting
glucose" or "impaired glucose tolerance". A diagnosis of pre-diabetes is
a warning sign that diabetes will develop later. The good news: You can
prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes by losing weight, making
changes in your diet and exercising.
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