Diabetes is a condition that affects how your body uses food for energy and health. When you eat, the carbohydrate found in most foods is changed into a type of energy and fuel called glucose. Glucose circulates in the blood and is the major energy source for the body or health care. In order for cells in muscles and other tissues in the body to use blood glucose for energy, a hormone called insulin is required for blood. Insulin is produced by the beta cells of the pancreas, a gland located deep in the abdomen partially behind the stomach.

When you have a disease called diabetes, either the pancreas does not make enough insulin hormone, or the body does not respond to the insulin that is made in body. Sometimes, a person sufring with diabetes or diabetic can have both of these problems. When insulin is not doing its job of moving blood glucose into the cells, glucose builds up in the bloodstream and tissues, and is excreted in the urine. When this problem happens, our body loses its main source of glucose.

Diabetes has been a noted disease for thousands of years. But it is the discovery of insulin (1921) hormone, introduction of diabetes pills (1950s), and invention of blood glucose monitoring equipment with blood sugar, that gave people diabetes accurate and reliable ways of caring for good diabetes care themselves outside a hospital. The more you know about diabetes, the better you can work with your health care team to manage your disease and reduce your risk of diabetes. You should know what type of diabetes you have. If you do not know, ask your doctor whether you have type 1 or type2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes: The people who have this type of diabetes need to take insulin every day with self monitoring blood glucose. This type of diabetes used to be called juvenile diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes: Your diet and daily physical activity help to control the type 2 diabetes problem. Most people also need to take diabetes pills or insulin. Type 2 diabetes is very common and used to be called adult onset diabetes.

The diabetes is always a serious disease and cause for blood sugar imbalance. Terms that suggest that diabetes is not serious, such as "a touch of diabetes", "mild diabetes," and "sugar's a little high," are not correct and should no longer be used.

Finding and treating diabetes early can prevent your health problems later on. Many people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms and do not know they have diabetes. Some people are at higher risk for diabetes than others. People at high risk include those who:

• are older than 45
• are overweight
• have a close family member such as a parent, a brother, or a sister who has or had diabetes
• had a baby that weight more than 9 pounds
• have high blood pressure problem
• had diabetes during pregnancy
• have high cholesterol or other abnormal blood fats are inactive

Take action to control your diabetes Ask your doctor for health care if you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. If you know someone who has any of the risk factors for diabetes, suggest they talk to their doctor about getting tested.

Here are some ways to take an active role in your diabetes:

1. Beyond your regular health checkups to monitor your diabetes treatment, have a physical examination once a year. Because your doctor knows you have diabetes, he or she will look for emerging problems caused by the disease, such as eye, kidney and heart disease.
2. Going to an eye specialist - an ophthalmologist or an optometrist - annually will help detect diabetes-related or sugar vision problems and catch them early, when they're treatable. If you have poorly controlled diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney disease or elevated cholesterol, you may need to see your eye specialist more than once a year.
3. Staying up-to-date on vital vaccinations can help you avoid serious diabetic complications. This includes getting: An annual flu shot. No matter what your age, if you have diabetes you're more likely to get the flu (influenza) than are people who don't have diabetes. Because you have diabetes, you're also more likely to develop serious complications from flu, including diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperosmolar syndrome. Pneumonia vaccine. Most doctors recommend that people with diabetes receive a one-time pneumonia vaccination. If you have complications from your diabetes, such as kidney or heart disease, or you're 65 years of age or older, you may need a five-year booster shot. Other vaccinations. Stay up-to-date with your tetanus shot and its 10-year boosters. Ask your doctor about getting vaccinated against hepatitis B if you haven't already received the vaccine.
4. Diabetes is potentially dangerous to your feet in two ways:
   1. Diabetes can damage the network of nerves in your feet (neuropathy), reducing the sensation of pain. This means you can develop a sore or blister without realizing it
   2. Diabetes can narrow or block off your arteries (arteriosclerosis), reducing blood flow to your feet. With less blood to nourish the tissues in your feet, it's harder for sores to heal. An unnoticed cut or sore hidden beneath your shoes and socks can quickly develop into a larger problem.
5. The people with diabetes and smoke are more likely to die of heart disease, stroke and other diseases than are nonsmokers with diabetes. This is because:
   • Smoking narrows your arteries, reducing blood flow to your legs. Narrowed arteries increase your risk of heart attack and stroke, and also make it more difficult for wounds to heal.
   • Smoking increases your risk of nerve damage and kidney disease. Smoking further impairs your immune system, making you more susceptible to colds and respiratory infections.
6. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that most people with diabetes take an aspirin every day for insulin because daily aspirin use can reduce your risk of heart attack. The recommended dose is anywhere from 81 milligrams (mg) a day, the amount found in a baby aspirin, to 325 mg a day, the amount found in an adult tablet. Taking more than this doesn't increase its benefits. Talk with your doctor to make sure aspirin is safe for you and, if it is, to find out which strength aspirin you should take.
7. Like diabetes patient, high blood pressure can damage your blood vessels. When these two conditions team up, they can lead to a heart attack, stroke or other life-threatening conditions. The same healthy habits that can improve blood sugar - a balanced diet and regular exercise - can also help reduce blood pressure. Reducing salt (sodium) in your diet and controlling how much alcohol you consume are important as well.
8. Managing your blood sugar or monitoring sugar is the most important thing you can do to feel your best and prevent long-term complications of diabetes. By monitoring your blood sugar and keeping it normal within your target range, you'll reduce such risks as eye, kidney, blood vessel and nerve damage.
9. Manage your stress: Stress can increase your body's production of those hormones that block the effect of insulin, causing your blood sugar to rise. If you're under a lot of stress, you'll have a hard time taking care of yourself and managing your diabetes. You may not take the time to eat right, monitor your blood sugar, exercise or take your medication as prescribed. And prolonged stress can lead to depression.
   It's true that the members of your diabetes care team - doctor, diabetes nurse educator and dietitian, for example - will encourage and help you to live healthy with diabetes. But make sure you will take good diabetes care of yourself to prevent and minimize diabetes complications. After all, no one has a greater stake in your health than you.