Diabetes is a group of diseases marked by high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production, insulin action, or both. Diabetes can lead to serious complications and premature death, but people with diabetes can take steps to control the disease and lower the risk of complications.
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Type 1 Diabetes is an autoimmune disease that destroys the body's ability to produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas. Its role is to transport sugar from the blood into the cells to maintain energy for normal growth and development. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in people under the age of 35. There is no prevention of Type 1 diabetes. |
Type 2 Diabetes is a condition in which the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells in the body do not use the insulin being produced properly (Insulin Resistance). The majority of people with Type 2 diabetes are adults over the age of 40 and overweight. Type 2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented. |
Find out if you are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Take the American Diabetes Association On-line Risk Assessment
Healthy Tips.
Good news! If you have diabetes, there is a lot you can do to stay healthy
and help prevent complications.
- Keep blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol close to target levels
- Receive a foot, eye, and dental exam at least once a year
- Know you Hemoglobin A1c number
- Exercise regularly
- Eat Healthy
- Set a Health Goal with your provider
Diabetes Fiction.
Many people do not know all the facts about diabetes.
| Fiction: People with diabetes can't eat sugar. |
| Fact: People with diabetes need to control how much carbohydrates they eat. All forms count, from simple sugars in candy and soda to complex high fiber carbohydrates in whole grain bread and pasta. |
| Fiction: People get diabetes from eating too much sugar. |
| Fact: People tend to get Type 2 diabetes from being overweight, which happens from eating too many calories. |
| Fiction: All people with diabetes will get complications such as heart disease, kidney failure and blindness. |
| Fact: People who control diabetes through diet, glucose monitoring, exercise, and medication can expect to live long healthy lives. |
| Fiction: It's OK to eat large amounts of sugar free products to control diabetes. |
| Fact: Many of the sugar free products contain large amounts of carbohydrates and need to be counted as such in a meal plan. |
| Fiction: People with diabetes should do a high protein/low carbohydrate diet. |
| Fact: No. Excess protein in your urine could result from being on this type of weight reduction diet. Extreme or radical diets can deprive your body of the nutrients and vitamins that fruits and vegetables provide. |
| Fiction: Kids with diabetes need special diets. |
| Fact: No. In general, meals that are healthy for all children are healthy selections for kids with diabetes too. Most families who have a child diagnosed with diabetes schedule an appointment with a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator who can develop a meal plan to guide them with food choices, carbohydrate counting and meal timing. |