Children's Health
Definition
What is Diabetes?
What is Diabetes?If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, or are at high risk for the condition, learning more about it can help youfeel better—both physically and mentally.Insulin is a hormone made by your pancreas. It helps your cells absorb glucose, also known as blood sugar.Glucose is fuel for your cells. Most of it comes from the foods you eat.When you have diabetes, your body does not make or use insulin very well.Without enough insulin, your cells can’t absorb glucose for energy.As a result, glucose starts to build up in your blood. Over time, this high blood sugar can damage many partsof your body, including your eyes, kidneys, and heart.Diabetes is a long-term, or chronic, health problem. Early on, you may have no symptoms. But withouttreatment, diabetes may cause:Extreme hunger or thirst.Frequent peeing.Blurry vision.Fatigue, or low energy.Wounds that take a long time to heal.Sudden loss of weight.Or numbness in your hands and feet.To feel better, you can do many things to help keep your blood sugar in a healthy range. And your care team isready to show you how!Consider asking about:Treatment options, like medicine or insulin.Lifestyle changes to help you manage your blood sugar, like being physically active and choosing healthyfoods.And emotional support resources, like a support group where you can connect with others who have diabetes.Your care team will help you make a plan to manage diabetes. They are here to support and guide you to helpyou stay healthy.This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.© The Wellness Network
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