Diabetes.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic condition where the levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood are high due to problems with insulin and how it works in the body. Insulin is the hormone that enables our body cells to use glucose. Diabetes requires daily self-care and if complications develop, it can have a significant impact on quality of life and life expectancy.

There are different types of diabetes; all are complex and serious. There are three main types of diabetes are Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes.

What causes diabetes?

In type 1 diabetes, body cells cannot use glucose because the insulin-making cells in the pancreas have been destroyed by the body’s own immune system.

In type 2 diabetes, body cells cannot use glucose properly because they are resistant to insulin and/or the pancreas does not produce enough insulin for the body’s needs.

In gestational diabetes (diabetes that appears during pregnancy), hormones from the placenta block insulin, preventing the body from regulating the increased blood sugar of pregnancy effectively.

All situations lead to an abnormally high blood glucose level.