Diabetes is a disease that affects millions of people and their families. It occurs when the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. According to American Diabetes Association about 24 million people in the United States have diabetes. Unfortunately, 6 million are unaware that they have the disease. Imagine if you were among one of those million who are unaware. Or imagine if someone you know were among one of those million who aren’t aware of having diabetes. How would that affect you? How would that affect your love ones? Well, there are three main types of diabetes that you should be aware of.
Type I Diabetes accounts for approximately 10% of all diabetes cases. People with Type 1 diabetes are completely unable to produce insulin. Therefore, anyone with Type I diabetes must receive daily insulin injections. The destruction of beta cells causes Type I diabetes. The cause of the beta cells' destruction has yet to be determined, but scientists believe that it is caused by something that has gone wrong with the body's immune system. The immune system normally uses antibodies to attack foreign invaders. They believe that the antibodies destroy the beta cells, resulting in Type I diabetes. Some of the signs and symptoms of diabetes type 1 include: abnormal levels of sugar in the blood, frequent urination, extreme hunger and thirst, rapid or sudden weight loss, and tiredness.
Type II Diabetes accounts for approximately 90% of diagnosed cases and for almost all of those that go undiagnosed. People with Type 2 diabetes can produce insulin, but their cells don't respond to it. Scientists have yet to determine exactly what causes Type II diabetes, but they do know that it is caused by multiple factors. The factors can vary from person to person. Some of the factors are being overweight and heredity. Some of the signs and symptoms of diabetes type...