Your body changes most of the food you eat into glucose (a form of sugar) . Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that allows glucose to enter all the cells of your body and be used as energy. The World Health Organization recognizes three main forms of diabetes type 1 , type 2 and gestational diabetes (or type 3 , occurring during pregnancy ) although these share signs and symptoms but have different causes and population distributions. Nearly 21 million people in the United States have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. About 90 percent to 95 percent of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association estimates that nearly one-third of people who have type 2 diabetes don't even know it. Elevated levels of blood glucose (hyperglycemia) lead to spillage of glucose into the urine, hence the term sweet urine. Insulin lowers the blood glucose level. In patients with diabetes, the absence or insufficient production of insulin causes hyperglycemia. Diabetes is a chronic medical condition, meaning that although it can be controlled, it lasts a lifetime.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. For glucose to get into cells, insulin must be present. In people with diabetes, however, the pancreas either produces little or no insulin, or the cells do not respond appropriately to the insulin that is produced. Diabetes mellitus, commonly referred to as diabetes (as it will be in this article) was first identified as a disease associated with “sweet urine," and excessive muscle loss in the ancient world. These include cardiovascular disease (doubled risk), chronic renal failure (the main cause of dialysis in developed world adults), retinal damage (which can lead to blindness and is the most significant cause of adult blindness in the non-elderly in the developed world), nerve damage (of several kinds), microvascular damage (including erectile dysfunction (impotence) and poor healing which can lead to gangrene and even amputation the leading cause of non-traumatic amputation in developed world adults). Thus, the body loses its main source of fuel even though the blood contains large amounts of glucose.

Causes of Diabetes

The common Causes of Diabetes :

The recent dramatic increase indicates that lifestyle factors (obesity and sedentary lifestyle) may be particularly important in triggering the genetic elements that cause this type of diabetes.
Women having given birth to a baby weighing more than 9 lbs.
Gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
High alcohol intake
Medication (cortisone and some high blood pressure drugs)
Eating sweets or the wrong kind of food does not cause diabetes however, it may cause obesity and this is associated with people developing Type 2 diabetes.
High blood triglyceride (fat) levels
Environmental factors, such as certain types of viral infections, may also contribute.
But your hormonal system including but not limited to the insulin-producing pancreas continuously makes complex adjustments that keep your blood sugar levels within set limits.

Symptoms of Diabetes

Some Symptoms of Diabetes :

Blurred vision
Increased urination
Weight loss in spite of increased appetite
Slow-healing infections
Fatigue
Nausea
Vomiting
Increased thirst
Impotence in men

Treatment of Diabetes

Eat a consistent, well-balanced diet that is high in fiber , low in saturated fat, and low in concentrated sweets.
Treat all conditions that place the patients at risk for heart disease and stroke, which are the major killers of people with type 2 diabetes.
A well-balanced diet, more exercise, proper stress management, oral anti-diabetic drugs and/or daily insulin injections
This log should also include your insulin or oral medication doses and times, when and what you ate, when and for how long you exercised, and any significant events of the day such as high or low blood sugar levels and how you treated the problem.
Regular exercise; heart-healthy diet; quitting smoking.
Medicare now pays for diabetic testing supplies, as do many private insurers and Medicaid
It will also help to keep your blood sugar at a relatively even level and avoid excessively low or high blood sugar levels, which can be dangerous and even life threatening.

Bowel & Stomach Diseases

Appendicitis
Barett's Oesophagus
Coeliac Disease
Crohn's Disease

Heart Problems

Angina
Aortic Aneurysm
Aortic Regurgitation
Aortic Stenosis
Arrhythmias
Atrial Fibrillation

Infectious Diseases

Bacterial Vaginosis
Bird Flu
Boils
Cellulitis
Chicken Pox
Cystitis

Skin Disorders

Acne
Alopecia Areata
Baldness

Women Diseases

Abnormal Periods
Atropic Vaginitis
Breast Cancer
Breast Pain
Cervical Cancer

Liver & Kidney Diseases

Cholecystitis
Cirrhosis
Fatty Liver Disease
Kidney Cancer
Liver Cancer

Mental Health

Anorexia Nervosa
Bipolar Affective Disorder
Bulimia Nervosa
Dementia
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Schizophrenia

Disclaimer : All information on www.family-health-guide.org is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, please consult your doctor.