2% of the United States diagnosed with diabetes, its hard for some one not to be effected by the disease in some way. With 7 members of my family including my grandfather and uncle having this disease it hits very close to home for me. .
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin and is the fifth deadliest disease in the United States.
There are 2 major Types of Diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes also called juvenile onset is when the body does not produce any insulin. People with Type 1 diabetes need to take daily injections of insulin to survive. This most often occurs in children and young adults and accounts for 5-10% of all cases.
The second major type of Diabetes is called Type 2 diabetes or adult on set. This is a metabolic disorder resulting from the body's inability to make enough or properly use insulin. Type 2 diabetes is the most common and accounts for 90-95% of all cases of diabetes. People who are over 45, overweight, do not exercise regularly and who have a close family history of the disease are at a greater risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. .
Another form is gestational diabetes. Gestational Diabetes occurs in 2-5 % of pregnancies but disappears after the pregnancy is over. People who get gestational Diabetes are at a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. .
People with Diabetes frequently experience symptoms including .
Being very thirsty.
Weight loss.
Increased hunger.
Frequent urination.
Blurry vision.
And wounds that will not heal.
But in many cases of Type 2 diabetes there are no symptoms .
Although diabetes has no cure it can be maintained by daily injections of insulin, proper diet, medication, and adequate physical activity. .
Diabetes if not properly monitored can lead to many other complications such as a heart attack, stroke, blindness, lower limb amputation, kidney failure, and nerve damage. .
With more than 1 million new cases of diabetes diagnosed every year and more and more children being effected with it everyday.