Diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which a person has high blood sugar.
Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not produce enough insulin, or because cells of the body do not respond properly to the insulin that is produced. There are three main types of diabetes mellitus:
1. Type 1 DM results from the body's failure to produce insulin.
2. Type 2 DM results from insulin resistance, a condition in which cells fail to use insulin properly, sometimes also with an absolute insulin deficiency.
Consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks in excess is associated with an increased risk. The type of fats in the diet are also important, with saturated fats and trans fatty acids increasing the risk, and polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat decreasing the risk. Eating lots of white rice appears to also play a role in increasing risk. A lack of exercise is believed to cause 7% of cases.
Why are high blood sugar levels bad for you? Glucose is precious fuel for all the cells in your body -- when it's present at normal levels. But persistently high sugar levels behave like a slow-acting poison.
High sugar levels slowly erode the ability of cells in the pancreas to make insulin. The pancreas overcompensates, though, and insulin levels remain overly high. Gradually, the pancreas is permanently damaged.
All the excess sugar is modified in the blood. The elevated sugar in the blood causes changes that lead to atherosclerosis, a hardening of the blood vessels.
Because high sugar levels are everywhere, the body can be damaged anywhere. Damage to blood vessels, in particular, means no area is safe from too much sugar. High sugar levels and damaged blood vessels cause the multitude of complications that can come with diabetes
3. Gestational diabetes, is the third main form and occurs when pregnant women without a previous diagnosis of diabetes develop a high blood glucose level.
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