Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism. It is a condition where the body is incapable to regulate blood glucose levels automatically, resulting in high level blood glucose. Glucose is the main source of fuel for the body. When we eat food, the carbohydrates are converted into glucose. After digestion, glucose is passed to blood stream and later used by cells as the chief fuel for human body. In response to this rising level of glucose, pancreas gland produces Insulin. Insulin is used by about two-thirds of the body’s cells to absorb glucose from the blood for use as fuel, for conversion to other needed molecules, or for storage. Moreover, Insulin is the chief control signal for conversion of glucose to glycogen for internal storage in liver and muscle cells. When we eat, the pancreas automatically produces the right amount of insulin to move glucose from blood into our cells. In diabetes patients, Pancreas fails to produce sufficient amount of insulin. Hence, glucose will not be absorbed properly by body cells to convert into useful molecules. As a result, Glucose level increases in blood and affect the entire functioning of human body.

The three main types of diabetes are - Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes and Gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes implies loss of the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, which lead to insulin deficiency. Type 1 diabetes patients need insulin support for their daily life. It is called juvenile diabetes because most of the children suffer from diabetes belong to this type. Most cases of type 1 diabetes are diagnosed in those under the age of 30. Some of the causes of Type 1 include heredity, viruses that injure the pancreas, and auto-immune processes, in which the body’s own immune system destroys the beta cells. Type 1diabetes may lead to serious complication if it is not treated properly. Type 2, popularly known as non-insulin dependent, occurs due to insufficient insulin production or insulin resistance from the body. This type of diabetes affects people in later stages of life especially due to obesity, lack of exercise, high blood pressure, high cholesterol etc. The symptoms in early stages are not visible. Hence lead to lack of attention and care. This type of diabetes also lead to serious complications including vascular disease (including coronary artery disease), damage of eye sight, loss of sensation or pain, and liver damage. Gestational diabetes, as the name indicates, is a type of diabetes which affects women during pregnancy period. Generally 2 to 5 per cent of pregnant women suffer from this diabetes and it disappears after delivery. But there is a high chance of type 2 diabetes among these women.

Some symptoms of diabetes are: excessive thirst, frequent urination, tiredness or lack of energy, Blurred vision, Weight loss etc. As the symptoms of diabetes may not appear until blood glucose levels reaches certain levels, a person may have diabetes without knowing about it. Diabetes is known to be a silent killer amongst all diseases because in addition to the harmful effects of standalone diabetes, the functioning of a lot of other body organs in the body is also affected. Complications due to Diabetes arise when its symptoms go unnoticed in the early stages of occurrence, and proper treatment is not given on time.

Treatment of diabetes is a combination of medication and life style control. Apart from insulin in take and other oral drugs, treatment includes low fat/low carbohydrate diet, control of body weight, proper exercise, avoiding smoking etc. Thus managing diabetes requires patient awareness, diet control, self monitoring and self discipline. .

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