Diabetes?

According to www.Dictionary.com, diabetes is any of several disorders characterized by increased urine production. Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not naturally produce enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that controls the amount of glucose in the blood. With insulin, the body’s cells take insulin from the blood. With this lack of insulin, the body is forced to use the fat created as an energy source, which creates an higher level of glucose in the body.

There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 and type 2. Type 1 Diabetes is more rare and only accounts for 5-10% of all the diabetes cases in the U.S. It is more common in Caucasians than any other race and is normally found in childhood. Type 1 Diabetes is when the cells in the pancreas that create insulin slowly get destroyed and then cannot produce insulin anymore. Since the body is no longer able to regulate the blood glucose levels, it starts to build up in the bloodstream and can become toxic to all systems in the body.

Type 2 Diabetes is usually found in adults aged 50 and older. This type of diabetes usually occurs from being overweight, obese, or non-active. Usually the body is still able to produce insulin, but the insulin cannot perform its job correctly. The body’s cells cannot use the glucose in the blood because of the insulin receptors on each cell where insulin can bind with the cell in order for the glucose to go in and be used as energy. The glucose starts to build up in the bloodstream. Since the body is still able to create insulin, it keeps making more since the blood glucose levels are high. These high levels of insulin in the blood, known as hyperinsulinemia, increase the risk for cardiovascular disease and other health problems.

Being a teenager with diabetes is especially hard because, as a teen you are still growing and going through puberty. As you go through the changes of puberty the body’s glucose levels go up and down which will end of giving a teenager with diabetes highs and lows more frequently.

By: Shawna Ciano