Diabetes describes a group of chronic metabolic diseases caused by either the body's inability to produce enough insulin or the cells not able to respond to the insulin. Insulin is the hormone that controls the conversion of the sugars in the food we eat into sufficient energy for the body to work properly. A lack of sufficient insulin results in an excess of sugar in the blood, causing general weakness.

There are essentially three main types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.


Type 1, also known as diabetes mellitus and juvenile diabetes, has hitherto been the most prevalent form. It is an auto (self) immune disease that affects mainly children and adolescents.

Type 1, commonly referred to as just diabetes, is the third leading cause of death in the United States after heart disease and cancer. It affects over 150 million people worldwide. If unchecked, it can cause serious health complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and circulation problems which in turn can result in lower-extremity amputations.

The type 2 variety comes about due to the inability of the pancreatic cells of the body to respond to high blood glucose levels when insulin is produced. In other words, folk suffering from Type 2, or adult onset diabetes, do produce enough insulin, but their cells aren't able to recognize it and reaact accordingly.

Although type 2 used to be prevalent in people in their mid thirties or later, in the last few years it has been more and more prevalent in young obese children and adolescents to the point that it is being termed an epidemic.

The good news is that type 2 can be totally prevented through weight loss, cutting out junk food and sugarladen drinks, and getting plenty of exercise.

Gestational diabetes (GD) affects about 4 percent of all pregnant women. Having GD may increase the risk of redevelopment in future pregnancies and could possibly develop into type 2 later in life, if not checked carefully.

Diabetes may occur due to other factors as well, such as injury to or disease of the pancreas, certain medications (such as steroids), surgery, infections and malnutrition.

Then there is pre-diabetes. That means that either the cells are starting to become resistant to insulin or the pancreas is not producing as much insulin as required.

It’s important to be aware of any metabolic changes, such as the constant need to drink excessively and frequent urination, which these are mainly type 1 symptoms.

Other symptoms of the different types of diabetes often come on suddenly may include extreme fatigue, slow healing of wounds, and frequent infections that take a long time to cure.

Because type 2 is characterized by a gradual onset, the warning signs are not always very clearly defined. It is, therefore, of utmost importance to have medical checkups regularly. According to The National Institutes of Health, moderate exercise and a low-fat diet help reduce the chances of developing diabetes.

Complications of diabetes include eye problems and blindness, heart disease, stroke, neurological problems, amputation, and impotence.





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