What is Diabetes?

What is Diabetes?

There are nearly 24 million people in the U.S. known to have some form of diabetes. Among them there are children. Diabetes, if not treated earlier can turn into a devastating time bomb causing heart disease, strokes and other conditions that slowly damage internal organs over the time.

Diabetes is a condition when our body does not create or use insulin according to our body needs. Insulin is just a hormone that our body needs to turn sugar, starches into energy required for our survival. Unfortunately the exact cause of diabetes remains unknown, however factors such as being overweight, genetics and leading sedentary lifestyle do make us more susceptible to becoming a diabetic.

Diabetes mellitus is a cluster of metabolic illnesses distinguished by elevated blood sugar glucose levels. This condition happens due to deteriorating insulin secretion, or its function. Diabetes mellitus, usually known as diabetes had first been acknowledged as a disease related with “sweet urine,” and severe muscle loss in the ancient times. High levels of blood glucose also medically known as hyperglycemia cause excretion of glucose into the urine, therefore the “sweet urine” was coined.

Usually, blood glucose levels are closely managed by insulin, a hormone manufactured by our pancreas. Insulin reduces the blood glucose levels. When the blood glucose is high especially after a meal our pancreas release insulin to regulate the glucose level. Individuals with diabetes have the deficiency or shortage of insulin and tend to get hyperglycemia. Diabetes appears to be a persistent health condition, it can be managed but unfortunately may remain a lifetime.