What is Diabetes?

• Diabetes is a disease that prevents the body from properly using the energy from the food you eat

Diabetes• It is the seventh leading cause

of death by disease in the U.S.

• Each day about 2,220 new cases are diagnosed.

• There are about 16 million Americans affected with this disease.

Diabetes can lead to:• Blindness

• Kidney disease

• Nerve disease

• Amputations

• Heart disease

• Stroke

Diabetes occurs:

• When the pancreas produces little insulin, no insulin, or the insulin doesn’t work.

• Insulin is a hormone that helps the body use sugar (glucose)

Why is Insulin Important? (read only)

• When you eat or drink, much of the food is broken into simple sugar called glucose. Glucose provides the body with energy.

• Glucose in the bloodstream cannot go into the cells by itself. The pancreas releases a substance called insulin into the blood to help let glucose into the cells for energy.

• When glucose enters your cells, the level of glucose in your bloodstream decreases. Without insulin, glucose cannot get into the body’s cells for use as energy. This increases the levels of glucose in your blood. Too much glucose in the blood is called “high blood sugar” or “diabetes”.

Types of Diabetes• Type 1

Type 1 diabetics must use insulin injections. Occurs when the pancreas produces little or no insulin. This causes blood glucose to rise.

• Type 2Type 2 is most common in people over 40 who are overweight. People with Type 2 produce insulin, but not enough. Some people can manage it by controlling their weight, watching their diet and exercising. Some may need oral medications or insulin injections.

• Gestational Occurs when a woman is pregnant. Hormone changes during pregnancy can cause high blood glucose. After childbirth, the glucose levels usually return to normal.

What are the Symptoms of Diabetes?

• Increased thirst• Increased hunger• Dry mouth• Increased urination• Unexplained weight loss• Fatigue• Blurred vision• Numbness or tingling of the

hands or feet• Loss of consciousness (rare)

Risk Factors for Diabetes

• Family History – parent or sibling with the disease is a risk

• Race or ethnic background – increase in Hispanics, African-Americans, Native Americans and Asians

• Being overweight – 20% or more• Hypertension (high blood

pressure)• Abnormal blood cholesterol• Age – increases as you get older• Alcohol – heavy use is a risk• Smoking – use is a risk

What Does Not Cause Diabetes?

Eating sugar does not cause diabetes!

Taking Care of Diabetes

• Eat healthy food– Foods high in sugar are

dangerous.

• Get regular exercise– This helps keep weight down,

makes the insulin work better, and gives more energy.

Taking Care of Diabetes

• Test the blood sugar levels– Diabetic needs to get a sample of

blood daily for testing.

Taking Care of Diabetes

• Take diabetes medicine– Pills or insulin shots must be

taken daily. Shots are given by the diabetic.