Diabetes is a chronic disease that has no cure  with  modern medications . It is the leading cause of death by disease in North America .  That’s a sobering fact , however , although there is as yet no cure, diabetes can be controlled with modern medications . 

What is diabetes ? 

Normally , our bodies convert the food we eat into a sugar called glucose . With the help of insulin , a hormone produced in the pancreas that regulates the use of sugar in the body , glucose is turned into energy . With diabetes , this does not happen , and the unused glucose builds up in the body. 

There  are  primarily  two  types  of  Diabetes 

 1) Type 1 diabetes  is the most common chronic metabolic disorder to affect children . It is most common in Caucasian populations, especially those in Scandinavia, and rare in people of Asian or African descent . 
Type 1 diabetes is less common than Type 2 diabetes, accounting for only five  percent of all cases . 
Type 1 diabetes occurs when cells of the immune system attack particular cells in the pancreas — called beta cells that produce insulin . Because all of their beta cells are destroyed , Type 1 diabetics are dependent on insulin injections to control their blood sugar levels . The peak time for developing diabetes is during puberty , although it can occur at any age . 

 2) Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes . 
When you eat , your body turns your food into glucose (sugar) to use as fuel .
In healthy people , a hormone called insulin helps the glucose get into the cells . 
But in people with type 2 diabetes, something goes wrong . Sometimes , a person does not make enough insulin . Sometimes ,cells ignore the insulin .  In people with type 2 diabetes , glucose ( sugar ) builds up in the blood . 

Is it serious ? 

If diabetes is left untreated or improperly managed , the high levels of blood sugar associated with diabetes can slowly damage both the small and large blood vessels in the body , resulting in a variety of complications : heart disease is two to four times more common in people with diabetes than without : diabetes is a leading cause of adult blindness  in Canada , people with diabetes account for 28 per cent of all new cases of serious kidney disease  worldwide , half or more of all non traumatic limb amputations are due to diabetes , and diabetes is a major cause of erectile dysfunction . 

Are You At Risk ? 
 

Diabetes  ailment has  been  growing  in epidemic  proportions in  the  world  off late .  It  is  malady  of  modern  life  style . Artificial food ,artificial  life style ,high stress  life and  many  other causes  typical  of  our  age  has  made  it  too  much  for  our  body  to handle .  We  may be   living   in a ultramodern computer  age  with    unprecedented material prosperity  BUT    our human  body  is  essentially  same since  hundreds  of  thousands  of  years . Organ systems  in  Human  Body  like  the  pancreas were  essentially  doing  the same  Job  before  1000 years as  they  are  now   ... But  conditions  that  prevail  today have  weaned  us  so far away from natural  life  style  that it  is  not  conducive for  proper  functioning  of  our  body .Hence   ailments  like  Diabetes  have  become  a  norm today  .  Normally  if  you   are 40 years old or over are overweight ( especially if you carry most of your weight around your waist area ) are a member of a high-risk group , (Aboriginal, Hispanic, Asian, or African descent) have a parent, brother or sister with diabetes have given birth to a baby that weighed over 4kg ( 9 lbs ) at birth , or have had gestational diabetes , ( diabetes during pregnancy ) have high cholesterol or other fats in the blood have higher - than normal blood glucose levels have high blood pressure or heart disease For those already diagnosed with diabetes , it can be aggravated by stress , excess sugar intake or by developing an infection .  Routine screening every three years for everyone age 40 or over and screening every year for individuals with other risk factors . Symptoms While a mild case of diabetes may not show any outward symptoms , the disease is detectable through a simple blood sugar test or a urine analysis . A person with diabetes will have a high level of sugar in his or her blood ( because the body cannot metabolize it) and also in his or her urine ( as the body tries to flush the excess sugar through the kidneys ) .

 
 

Other symptoms are 

Excessive thirst  Excessive urination Unusual weight loss Low strength or energy Nausea / vomiting Slow healing cuts or infections Blurred vision Tingling numbness in hands and or feet It is also important to recognize that many people who have Type 2 diabetes may display no symptoms at all . Treatment may vary from person to person , and after discussion with your physician and pharmacist , you will determine the kind of treatment that works best for you .

Treatment may include

Controlled diet ( low sugar , low fat , low carbohydrates , high fiber – )
Insulin injections ( even children can learn to inject themselves properly )
Exercise
Weight loss
Oral medication (not everyone with diabetes needs insulin injections) 
Regular monitoring of your blood sugar levels
Following your treatment plan is essential in controlling diabetes and in reducing your risk of developing diabetes - related diseases , such as heart disease and stroke , arteriosclerosis , kidney disease , blindness and chronic skin sores . As diabetes is a chronic disease , the lifestyle changes you make will probably remain with you throughout your life . Educating yourself about diabetes and regularly communicating with your pharmacist and physician will help ensure that you are making the best decisions possible in order to live a full , active life.