What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease in which your body is unable to properly use and store glucose (a form of sugar). Glucose backs up in the bloodstream, causing your blood glucose or "sugar" to rise too high.

There are two major types of diabetes:

TYPE 1 DIABETES
(also called juvenile-onset or insulin-dependent diabetes)
	The body completely stops producing insulin (a hormone that enables your body to use the glucose found in foods).
	This form of diabetes typically develops in children or young adults (but it can occur at any age).
	People with Type 1 diabetes must take daily insulin injections.
TYPE 2 DIABETES
(also called adult-onset or non insulin-dependent)
	The body produces insulin, but not enough to properly convert food into energy, or in the case of insulin-resistance, the body can't properly use the insulin it does produce.
	This form of diabetes usually occurs in people who are over 40, overweight, and have a family history of diabetes.

Possible Complications from diabetes:

Nerve Damage

Kidney Disease

Eye Damage and blindness

Cardiovascular (heart and lung) Disease

Periodontal (tooth and gum) disease

Poor healing of infections and wounds
Impotence in men