You can develop diabetes at various stages Learn how food affects diabetes, as well as the latest Stress can be a major problem for patients with diabetes. …
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Living Healthy with Diabetes
Janet Buccola, MD Internal Medicine Cleveland Clinic Chagrin Falls Family Health Center Appointments: 4408939393
Diabetes Basics
Liver
Stomach
Hepatic ducts Tail of pancreas
What is diabetes? Diabetes mellitus is a disease that prevents your body from properly using the energy from the food you eat Diabetes occurs when either: The pancreas an organ behind your stomach produces little insulin or no insulin at all Insulin is a naturally occurring hormone produced by the beta cells of the pancreas that helps the body use sugar for energy - Or The pancreas makes insulin, but the insulin made does not work as it should This condition is called insulin resistance Understanding metabolism
Gallbladder
Common bile ducts
Pancreatic ducts Ampulla of vater Accessory ducts
Pancreas
Small intestine Duodenum
To better understand diabetes, it helps to know more about how the body uses food for energy a process called metabolism Your body is made up of millions of cells To make energy, the cells need food in a very simple form When you eat or drink, much of your food is broken down into a simple sugar called glucose Glucose provides the energy
your body needs for daily activities The blood vessels and blood are the highways that transport sugar from where it is either taken in the stomach or manufactured in the liver to the cells where it is used muscles or where it is stored fat
Sugar cannot go into the cells by itself The pancreas releases insulin into the blood, which serves as the helper, or the key, that lets sugar into the cells for use as energy When sugar leaves the bloodstream and enters the cells, the blood sugar level is lowered Without insulin, or the key, sugar cannot get into the bodys cells for use as energy This causes sugar to rise Too much sugar in the blood is called hyperglycemia high blood sugar or diabetes There are two main types of diabetes: TYPE 1 DIABETES — Type 1 diabetes occurs because the insulin-producing cells called beta cells of the pancreas are damaged People with Type 1 diabetes produce little or no insulin, so sugar cannot get into the bodys cells for use as energy This causes blood sugar levels to rise People with Type 1 diabetes MUST use insulin injections to control their blood sugar The damage to the insulin-producing cells in Type 1 diabetes occurs over a period of years
However, the symptoms of Type 1 diabetes might occur over a period of days to weeks Type 1 is the most common form of diabetes in people younger than 20 years old, but it can occur at any age
Other types of diabetes Specific types of diabetes might result from pregnancy gestational diabetes, surgery, use of certain medicines, various illnesses, and other specific causes What are the symptoms 
of diabetes? The symptoms of diabetes include: Increased thirst Increased hunger especially after eating Dry mouth Frequent urination Unexplained weight loss even though you are eating and feel hungry Weak, tired feeling Blurred vision Numbness or tingling of the hands or feet Slow healing sores or cuts Dry and itchy skin usually in the vaginal or groin area Frequent yeast infections Diabetes risk factors A family history of diabetes Race or ethnic background Being overweight History of hypertension high blood pressure Abnormal blood cholesterol or triglyceride levels Advancing age Certain drugs These might increase blood sugar Years of heavy alcohol use Smoking History of gestational diabetes or delivery of a baby weighing more than 9 pounds History of autoimmune disease Having been told you
have pre-diabetes
TYPE 2 DIABETES — People with Type 2 diabetes produce insulin However, there is either not enough insulin or it doesnt work properly in the body When there is not enough insulin or the insulin is not used as it should be, sugar cannot get into the bodys cells for use as energy This causes blood sugar to rise Type 2 diabetes is most common in people over age 45 who are overweight Some people with Type 2 diabetes can manage it by controlling their weight, watching their It is important to note that sugar itself does not cause diet, and exercising regularly Others might also need diabetes Eating a lot of sugar can lead to tooth decay, to take an oral medicine and/or insulin injections but it does not cause diabetes
How is diabetes diagnosed? A fasting blood sugar test is performed after you have had nothing by mouth eating or drinking for 8 hours Normal fasting blood sugar is between 70 and 99 mg/dl
Diabetes is diagnosed by one of the following: Your blood sugar level is equal to or greater than 126 mg/dl You have two random blood sugar tests over 200 mg/dl with symptoms You have an oral glucose tolerance test with results over 200
Normal
Pre - diabetes
Fas t
ing Glucos e Tes t
Diabetes
Less than 100
100 - 125
126 or higher
Random Anyt im e Glucos e Tes t
70 to 140 140 - 200 Greater th an 2 0 0
Source: American Diabetes Association 2 0 0 7
Cleveland Clinic Chagrin Falls Family Health Center
551 East Washington Street Chagrin Falls, Ohio Appointments: 4408939393
This information is not intended to replace the medical advice of your health care provider Please consult your health care provider for advice about a specific medical condition
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