A significant number of people are not even aware that they have been affected with diabetes. The irony is that the rise in the number of diabetes cases is mostly due to ignorance. And it is preventable, at least in many cases.

Diabetes mellitus, or simply diabetes, is a metabolic disorder. Metabolism is a set of organic processes that keep on going inside the body without you being aware of them. These processes are necessary for maintaining life.  The one involved in diabetes relates to the conversion of sugar content of food into glycogen, the form in which energy is stored in the body. Stored energy is broken down into glucose when needed by the body.

Diabetes is a metabolic disturbance caused by two different factors, both related to insulin. Insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas, regulates storage of glycogen in the liver and speeds up oxidation of sugar in cells. Diabetes type II is the development of insulin resistance despite there being an adequate supply of insulin. Diabetes type I is the inadequacy of insulin due to pancreatic disorder. The bottom line is that there is an increase in the blood sugar level, while some of the excess sugar is passed off through urine.

Diabetes and high cholesterol separately are dangerous enough. Their mix could be absolutely fatal. High cholesterol contributes to diabetes and vice-versa.

There are two types of diabetes:

• Diabetes Type 1 – In this type of diabetes, our pancreas stop producing insulin. Diabetes 1 is less common as Diabetes Type 2.
• Diabetes Type 2 – In this condition, typically pancreas do produce sufficient amount of insulin, but our body cells fail to use insulin in proper manner. Most of the diabetic patients worldwide suffer from Diabetes Types 2. Figures show that nearly 90% of diabetics have Diabetes Type 2.

As of now, there is no cure for Diabetes Type 1. However, by taking certain precautionary measures, patients that have been diagnosed with this type of diabetes can prevent heart failure.

• Adhere to a diabetic diet
• Exercise regularly
• Check your blood sugar levels at regular intervals
• Follow the instructions if taking insulin injections
• Visit your doctor regularly

Did you know that 285 million people worldwide have diabetes?

And by 2025, this figure is expected to touch 380 million. Diabetes is nothing short of a modern epidemic – one from which even children and young adults are not safe.

Largely, diabetes is considered as a lifestyle disease, a culmination of various wrong choices related to eating and lifestyle that we make through our life.

Types of diabetes

There are three main types of diabetes:

Did you know that Diabetes among the most common diseases in the world?

Staggering number of people, close to 165 million worldwide are known to have diabetes. Although methods to detect diabetes can be traced as back as 80 years, a permanent remedy is yet to be discovered. While most folks just learn to accept their condition, record books suggest that a few diabetics are able to reverse their condition using natural resources.

Diabetes Explained

Diabetes is the condition of excessive blood sugar levels. This occurs because:

• The body is unable to produce sufficient insulin. The condition is referred as Diabetes Type I
• Body cells are unable to use insulin properly. The condition is referred as Diabetes Type II

Patients can have both the above conditions simultaneously. Certain conditions, such as Gestational Diabetes give an indication of impending Diabetes Type II. Gestational Diabetes is the condition of high sugar level in pregnant women.

While there is no permanent remedy for diabetes, the condition can be managed by controlling sugar levels in the blood.

It is possible for a diabetes patient to lead a more or less normal life. Studies show that some diabetics have even achieved complete reversal. And this should be the aim of every person diagnosed with the disorder.

This brings us to the most important question: how to control diabetes? The answer is by eating right. Develop a healthy eating plan and more important follow it to the Tee. A good diabetic diet plan should answer the following questions without any ambiguity.

• What to eat
• When to eat
• What quantity to eat

A good diet plan helps immensely in preventing and controlling the condition of high blood sugar levels. Before you create a diabetic diet plan, it is essential that you know the truth about following myths.

Excessive sugar levels in blood over a period of time can cause Diabetes Type I or Diabetes Type II, causing poor blood circulation and nerve damage. Feet or legs are the areas that are worst affected by this kind of damage.

In fact, studies show that if the sugar levels in the blood are not maintained within the acceptable limits, a large number of diabetics can develop peripheral neuropathy, a condition of nervous system that usually begins with excruciating pain or burning sensation in feet.

Many diabetics, who develop neuropathy, become less sensitive to pain due to nerve damage, while others experience excruciating pain or continuous burning sensation in feet.

Research put forward by Reuters Health in New York confirms what medical fraternity has suspected for long – diabetic drivers can be unsafe, if they are careless with their treatment.

The Study

Recently, a study on how the condition of diabetes and low levels of sugar in the blood affects a person’s driving ability was conducted by the University of Virginia Health Sciences Centre.

Driving behavior of more than 450 people, both men and women who on average had diabetes for 26 years and were either suffering from Diabetes Type I condition or were insulin-dependent was conducted. The average age of the studied group was 40 years.

Teen pop sensation Nick Jonas probably never thought he’d become a diabetes spokesperson one day. And yet, that is exactly what he became. At just seventeen, Nick Jonas is receiving huge adulation, and this public affection is not only for his talent, but also for his effort in spreading awareness about diabetes.

The Initial Shock

Nick Jonas had a healthy childhood, but it was only in 2005 that Nick Jonas began to show the symptoms of diabetes. He lost weight, was always thirsty, and was generally never in a good mood. The dramatic weight loss and changes in behavior convinced him to see a doctor and the discovery was shocking- the youngest Jonas brother had Type I Diabetes. At that time, Nick Jonas was immediately admitted to the hospital, as his sugar levels were above 700.

The Adjusting Phase

Like any other newly-diagnosed diabetic person, Nick Jonas was worried about whether he would be able to carry on with his life as before. But to his relief and that of his fans, Nick Jonas was on the stage the same day he was discharged from the hospital.