This web site is for new diabetics.

Here you will find everything you need to know to take care of yourself and your diabetes.

WHAT IS DIABETES?

Diabetes is the increase of sugar levels in the blood stream and it comes in two varieties:

Type I, otherwise known as juvenile diabetes, and

Type II, or adult onset diabetes.

Type II is the more common and results from resistance to Insulin, which often results from obesity. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, an organ in the upper abdomen. It is needed to process or metabolize glucose or sugar, produced by digestion of foods. It helps the cells take sugar out of the blood and use it to run. Cells of the body use glucose for their function and for energy. When insulin resistance develops, this does not happen and sugar levels in the blood rise while the cells are starved for their fuel- sugar. At least early on in type II diabetes, there is actually an overproduction of Insulin as the body tries to overcome the cell’s resistance to it. Eventually, the pancreas gets “burned out” and often, later on, Type II diabetics have some insulin deficiency as well (and have to be treated with Insulin)…so there is overlap between the two types.

Type I diabetes develops when the pancreas fails to produce enough insulin to deal with the body’s metabolic needs. It can only be treated with Insulin and often happens in younger, thinner individuals, sometimes after viruses (mumps being the most well known to) attack the pancreas. Occasionally, it happens in adults too. It’s onset is usually more sudden and noticeable than type II and can result in coma and death fairly quickly when not treated promptly. Some type I patients develop a degree of Insulin resistance (becoming a bit more like Type II) over time, especially if weight gain occurs but they will always require insulin even if “insulin sensitizing” oral medications are needed or added later.

WHO CAN GET IT? / WHO IS AT RISK?

Anyone can become diabetic. This risk is increased by advancing age and obesity and there are well known racial factors. Insulin resistance increases with age for all races. African-American, Hispanic and certain American Indian populations are at higher risk (at younger ages and with less obesity.) Type II diabetes is quickly becoming the number one health concern for certain groups because of the epidemic in obesity in the U.S. and worldwide. For this reason, it is to a great degree preventable or at the very least postponable. With the onset of diabetes at younger and younger ages, there is more potential for the damage this disease can cause. Over a lifetime, it can greatly diminish quality of life and even cripple it’s victims. The longer a person has uncontrolled diabetes, the more common and the more severe the complications. (see next page)