The pancreas is an organ, deep in the stomach, that makes insulin to help control the amount of sugar in the blood. Diabetes happens when sugars build up in the blood if the body is not making enough insulin or doesn't use its own insulin very well. In 1862, Georg Ebers found a document in an Egyptian grave that indicated the symptoms of diabetes have been around for about 35 centuries. Only in the last century did doctors discover it has to do with high blood sugar. In 1921 two young scientist discovered insulin, which has helped many diabetics.
The symptoms of diabetes can be frequent urination, excessive thirst, weight loss, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, feeling tired, dry skin, sores that are slow to heal, vision changes, and more infections than usual. If diabetes is not treated it can lead to severe eye disorders and blindness, problems with skin ulcers on the feet, or it can affect the kidneys by causing high blood pressure, kidney failure, and it can even cause a heart attack. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
There are two types of diabetes. Both types of diabetics have to eat healthy, exercise regularly and try to keep the blood sugar levels stable and normal. Type 1 diabetics require daily insulin shots but type 2 diabetics don't always have to take them. There is no cure or vaccine for diabetes. Doctors are researching for a cure for diabetes. Until a cure is found, diabetes can be treated and controlled. .