Diabetes is a disorder that affects the way your body uses food for energy. Normally, the sugar you take in is digested and broken down to a simple sugar, known as glucose. The glucose then circulates in your blood where it waits to enter cells to be used as fuel. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps move the glucose into cells. A healthy pancreas adjusts the amount of insulin based on the level of glucose. But, if you have diabetes, this process breaks down, and blood sugar levels become too high.

There are two main types of full-blown diabetes. People with Type 1 diabetes are completely unable to produce insulin. People with Type 2 diabetes can produce insulin, but their cells don't respond to it. In either case, the glucose can't move into the cells and blood glucose levels can become high. Over time, these high glucose levels can cause serious complications.

Pre-diabetes means that the cells in your body are becoming resistant to insulin or your pancreas is not producing as much insulin as required. Your blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be called diabetes. This is also known as "impaired fasting glucose" or "impaired glucose tolerance". A diagnosis of pre-diabetes is a warning sign that diabetes will develop later. The good news: You can prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes by losing weight, making changes in your diet and exercising.

A person with Type 1 diabetes can't make any insulin. Type 1 most often occurs before age 30, but may strike at any age. Type 1 can be caused by a genetic disorder. The origins of Type 1 are not fully understood, and there are several theories. But all of the possible causes still have the same end result: The pancreas produces very little or no insulin anymore. Frequent insulin injections are needed for Type 1.

Gestational diabetes (GD) affects about 4 percent of all pregnant women. It usually appears during the second trimester and disappears after the birth of the baby.

 

Top 7 Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes.

There are many risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Some of them come from our family history and genetics and so are with us always, but some can be turned around to help reverse or prevent type 2 diabetes. What are they and what can we do to cut the risk?

1. Obesity
The number one risk factor for type 2 diabetes is obesity. The National Center for Health Statistics states that 30% of adults are obese. That's 60 million people. Greater weight means a higher risk of insulin resistance, because fat interferes with the body's ability to use insulin. According to the same study, the number of overweight kids has tripled since 1980. The number of children being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes has also risen.

2. Sedentary Lifestyle
The Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health (USA, 1996) states that "a sedentary lifestyle is damaging to health and bears responsibility for the growing obesity problems." Inactivity and being overweight go hand in hand towards a diagnosis of type 2. Muscle cells have more insulin receptors than fat cells, so a person can decrease insulin resistance by exercising. Being more active also lowers blood sugar levels by helping insulin to be more effective. It's a win-win.

3. Unhealthy Eating Habits
Ninety% of people who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are overweight. Unhealthy eating contributes largely to obesity. Too much fat, not enough fiber, and too many simple carbohydrates all contribute to a diagnosis of diabetes. Eating right is can turn the diagnosis around and reverse or prevent Type 2.

4. Family History and Genetics
It appears that people who have family members who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are at a greater risk for developing it themselves. African Americans, Hispanic-Americans and Native Americans all have a higher than normal rate of type 2 diabetes. Having a genetic disposition towards type 2 is not a guarantee of a diagnosis however. Lifestyle plays an important part in determining who gets diabetes.

5. Increased Age
It's a sad but true fact. The older we get, the greater our risk of type 2 diabetes. Even if an elderly person is thin, they still may be predisposed to getting diabetes. Scientists theorize that the pancreas ages right along with us, and doesn't pump insulin as efficiently as it did when we were younger. Also, as our cells age, they become more resistant to insulin as well.

6. High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol
These two bad boys are the hallmark risk factors for many diseases and conditions, including type 2 diabetes. Not only do they damage your heart vessels but they are two key components in metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms including obesity, a high fat diet, and lack of exercise. Having metabolic syndrome increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

7. History of Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women. It begins when hormones from the placenta make the mother insulin resistant. Many women who have gestational diabetes develop type 2 diabetes years later. Their babies are also at some risk for developing diabetes later in life.