Diabetes 

 

Diabetes is a disorder that causes a person's blood sugar (glucose) level to become too high. It is a life-long condition that can be managed through diet, medication and insulin injections. Glucose in the blood is controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas.           

 

Insulin is responsible for moving glucose out of the blood and into cells. Diabetes, causes the pancreas to stop producing enough insulin, or the insulin produced doesn't work properly.

 

There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is caused when the pancreas doesn't produce any insulin, and type 2 diabetes is caused when the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells don't react to insulin.

 

Symptoms of diabetes include excessive thirst, frequent urination, extreme tiredness and weight loss. If left untreated it can cause serious complications such as kidney failure, stroke and problems with eyesight.