Diabetes

• Diabetes

  a condition that affects your ability to control your blood sugar level
• 2 types of diabetes:

  • type 1 - where the pancreas produces little or no insulin
  • type 2 - where a person becomes resistant to their own insulin
• Type 1 diabetes means a person's blood-glucose level can rise to a level than can kill them
• People with type 1 diabetes need insulin therapy, which usually involves several injections of insulin throughout the day, most likely at mealtimes
• Insulin therapy makes sure that glucose is removed from the blood quickly once the food has been digested, stopping the level getting too high
• Insulin therapy is a very effective treatment
• The amount of insulin that needs to be injected depends on the person's diet and how active they are
• As well as insulin therapy, people with type 1 diabetes need to limit the intake of food rich in simple carbohydrates, e.g. sugars, and doing regular exercise
• Type 2 diabetes can also cause a person's blood sugar level to rise to a dangerous level
• Being overweight can increase your chance of developing type 2 diabetes, as obesity is a major risk factor in the development of the disease
• Type 2 diabetes can be controlled by eating a carbohydrate-controlled diet and doing regular exercise