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ALL ABOUT DIABETES
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin-a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy which is required for daily life. The actual cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity appear to play major roles.
There are currently 18.2 million people in the United States, or 6.3% of the population, who have diabetes. An estimated 13 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, but unfortunately, 5.2 million people are not aware that they have the disease.
There are four major types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes results from the body's failure to produce insulin, the hormone that "unlocks" the cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel them. Type 2 diabetes results from insulin resistance (a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin). Most Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. There is also gestational diabetes which affects about 4% of all pregnant women-about 135,000 cases each year in the U.S. And there is pre-diabetes which is a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose level is higher than normal but not high enough to be considered type 2 diabetes. There are currently 41 million Americans who have pre-diabetes, in addition to the 18.2 million with diabetes.
By diligently scouring the Internet we have discovered valuable tips about diabetes and how to live with it. We have uncovered vast amounts of information and answers to diabetes questions dealing with pregnancy, exercise, complications,diet, treatments, skin care, smoking, how to find the best medical care, glucose testing and hundreds more.
If you want accurate, reliable and current information about diabetes, please take a few minutes to browse our site.
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