In diabetes the way the human body uses the food we eat for growth and energy becomes inefficient, one way or another either with none of the hormone known as insulin is being produced, too little being produced, or the body incorrectly responds to it. When the body has digested the food glucose is the form created as the main source of energy for the body. The hormone triggers the glucose to move from the blood stream into the body’s cell. This is a hormone produced by the pancreas a large gland near the stomach. When a person eats the pancreas is triggered to produce a certain amount of the hormone to move the glucose from the bloodstream into the cells. When a person has this condition the pancreas does not work as it should so glucose builds up in the blood. Important diabetes info concerns the different types of diabetes.

There are three main types of diabetes, which are Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes. These conditions affect people in different ways are treated differently. Type 1 diabetes is actually a type of autoimmune disorder. In the case of autoimmune diseases the body’s system for combating infection turns against the body itself. The immune system begins attacking the pancreas as it is producing beta cells destroying them so little is produced if any. This means the person with Type 1 diabetes will need to take injections daily to live. There is no diabetes info on causes Type 1 since no one knows what causes this issue to happen or why the immune system will attack the beta cells. There are theories that genetic, environmental, and possibly even viruses are involved. Type 1 diabetes affects around 5 to 10 % of diabetes in the U.S.

The most common form of this condition is Type 2 diabetes. Roughly, 90 to 95% of people with diabetes have type 2. Most people with this condition have a family history of the disease, obesity, are older than 45 years of age, have a history of gestational diabetes, physical inactivity, and ethnicity. Close to 80% of those with this condition are overweight. With this form of the condition, the pancreas is producing the hormone, but the body’s response is ineffective. An important piece of diabetes info is that after years of this resistance the body might stop producing the hormone with the same result as Type 1 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes most often develops gradually over time. Symptoms might include fatigue, urinating more frequently, thirst, weight loss, blurred vision, infections, and slow healing.

Gestational diabetes develops only during pregnancy. Like Type 2 it has some genetic and ethnic indicators. More African, Native and Hispanic Americans will develop both gestational or Type 2. Women who get gestational during pregnancy are having anywhere from a quarter to half percent more chance of developing type 2 later in life.

A doctor can work with a patient regarding whichever type of the diabetes they have and give them diabetes info that will prove helpful.

Diabetes can be a difficult disease to deal with, as there are physical complications associated with the poor control of blood glucose. These complications are generally divided into short-term complications and long-term complications.

Short-term Complications

Short-term complications are the result of a blood glucose that’s either very low or very high. Low blood glucose (called hypoglycemia) can occur in minutes as a result of too much insulin, too much exercise, or too little food, but high blood glucose usually takes several hours to develop. Whereas low blood glucose often can be managed at home, severe high blood glucose (called diabetic ketoacidosis) is an emergency that’s managed by medical staff in a hospital. Nevertheless, it’s important that you understand how it develops in order to prevent it.

Long-term Complications

Long-term complications can be devastating. It is much better to prevent long-term complications with careful diabetes management than to try to treat them after they develop. Fortunately, they generally take 15 or more years to fully develop, and there’s time to slow them down if not reverse them if you’re aware of them. All of the long-term complications of Type 1 Diabetes can be detected in the very earliest stages.

The long-term complications consist of eye disease known as retinopathy, kidney disease known as nephropathy, and nerve disease known as neuropathy. It is a little known fact that diabetes is the leading cause of new cases of blindness; new cases of kidney failure requiring dialysis, which cleanses the blood of toxins when the kidneys can no longer do their job; and loss of sensation in the feet as well as other consequences of nerve damage.

Not only does Type One Diabetes (T1DM) have short-term and long-term physical consequences, but as an autoimmune disease, Type One Diabetes (T1DM) is also associated with other autoimmune diseases such as celiac disease, an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract; thyroid disease; and skin diseases.

As you might expect, people with Type One Diabetes also have significant psychological and emotional needs. It’s important, first of all, to realize that Type One Diabetes has been present in some very high achievers. In addition, Type One Diabetes is not only a disease of the particular patient but also a disease of the entire family since all family members will be affected in one way or another.

If you’re the patient with Type One Diabetes, the people around you need to know that you have diabetes and how to help you when you can’t help yourself. Often people with the disease try to keep it secret, as though it’s a blot on their character. Remember Type One Diabetes isn’t your fault. There will be times when you may need the help of others, and it will be a whole lot easier for them to help you if they know about your condition and what to do in different circumstances.