Diabetes is a condition which occurs as a result of problems with the
production and supply of insulin in the body. Most of the food we eat
is turned into glucose, or sugar, for our bodies to use for energy.
Our bodies transport glucose in our blood to muscles and tissues. In
order for our muscles and other tissues to absorb glucose from our
blood, we need a hormone called insulin. Without insulin, our bodies
cannot obtain the necessary energy from our food. The pancreas, an organ
that lies near the stomach, makes a hormone called insulin to help
glucose get into the cells of our bodies. When you have diabetes, your
body either doesnt make enough insulin or cant use its own insulin as
well as it should. This causes sugars to build up in the blood.
Diabetes can cause serious health complications including heart
disease, blindness, kidney failure, and lower-extremity amputations.
Diabetes is predicted by a clear set of symptoms, but it still often goes undiagnosed.