What is diabetes?
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that is needed to convert food into energy.
Type 1 diabetes results from the body’s failure to produce insulin. While 5 to 10 percent of diabetics suffer from type 1, according to the ADA, approximately 16 million Americans have type 2 diabetes, a condition that results when the body fails to properly use insulin.
Some symptoms of diabetes
- Frequent urination
- Excessive thirst
- Extreme hunger
- Unusual weight loss
- Increased fatigue
- Irritability
- Blurry vision
If you’re experiencing these symptoms and think diabetes could be the problem, make an appointment with your doctor today!
Understanding diabetes is key
Many diabetics do not realize that proper instruction and management is essential in order to minimize the disease’s long-term complications.
Patients need to be educated about how serious diabetes really is. It is a lifelong, chronic disease that can cause problems like kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, and stroke.
Understanding the causes and symptoms is the first step toward decreasing the chance of developing such complications.
ADA Certification
The Center for Diabetes Education program is certified through the American Diabetes Association, a certification we’ve held since 2006.