Diabetes is a chronic condition that happens when the body can’t produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the body that regulates blood sugar. Normally, the food you eat is broken down into glucose (sugar), which enters your bloodstream. Insulin regulates blood sugar by helping glucose enter your cells to be used for energy.

Diabetes Basics

Diabetes is a chronic condition that happens when the body can’t produce or properly use insulin.

Insulin is a hormone produced by the body that regulates blood sugar.

Normally, the food you eat is broken down into glucose (sugar), which enters your bloodstream. Insulin regulates blood sugar by helping glucose enter your cells to be used for energy.

 

Types of Diabetes.

There are 3 major types of Diabetes,

1. Type 1 Diabetes

·      An autoimmune condition where the body's immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.

·      Usually diagnosed in children, teens, or young adults, but it can occur at any age.

·      People with type 1 produce little or no insulin and require lifelong insulin therapy (injections or pump).

·      Cause: Not fully understood, but genetics and environmental triggers play a role. It is not caused by lifestyle.

2. Type 2 Diabetes

·      The most common type (about 90–95% of cases).

·      The body becomes resistant to insulin (insulin resistance), and over time, the pancreas can't produce enough insulin to compensate.

·      Often develops in adults, but increasingly seen in younger people due to rising obesity.

·      Risk factors: Overweight/obesity, physical inactivity, family history, age (over 45), certain ethnic backgrounds, history of gestational diabetes, and conditions like high blood pressure.

3. Gestational Diabetes

·      Develops during pregnancy in women who didn't previously have diabetes.

·      Caused by hormonal changes and insulin resistance during pregnancy.

·      Usually resolves after birth but increases the risk of type 2 diabetes later for both mother and child.

There's also prediabetes, where blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet diabetic. It's a warning sign—lifestyle changes can often prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

Common signs include:

• Increased thirst (polydipsia)
• Frequent urination (polyuria)
• Extreme hunger (polyphagia)
• Unexplained weight loss (more common in type 1)
• Fatigue or tiredness
• Blurred vision
• Slow-healing cuts or bruises

 

• Frequent infections (e.g., urinary tract or yeast infections)
• Tingling, pain, or numbness in hands/feet (more in type 2)

If you notice these, see a healthcare provider for testing