Diabetes is a long-term health problem. It means your body doesn't make enough insulin. Or it may mean that your body can't use the insulin it makes. Insulin is a hormone in your body. It lets blood sugar (glucose) reach the cells in your body. All of your cells need glucose for fuel.
When you have diabetes, the glucose in your blood builds up because it can't get into the cells. This buildup is called high blood sugar (hyperglycemia).
Your blood sugar level depends on several things. It depends on what kind of food you eat and how much of it you eat. It also depends on how much exercise you get, and how much insulin you have in your body. Eating too much of the wrong kinds of food or not taking diabetes medicine on time can cause high blood sugar. Infections can cause high blood sugar even if you are taking medicines correctly.
These things can also cause low blood sugar:
- Missing meals
- Not eating enough food
- Unplanned or heavy exercise
- Taking too much diabetes medicine
Diabetes can cause serious problems over time if you don't get treated. These problems include:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Kidney failure
- Blindness
- Nerve pain
- Loss of feeling in the legs and feet
- Tissue death (gangrene)
By keeping your blood sugar under control you can prevent or delay these problems.
Normal blood sugar levels are 80mg/dL to 100 mg/dL before a meal. They are less than 180 mg/dL in the 1 to 2 hours after a meal.
Helpful Information & Forms
Click on any of the links below to access helpful materials on managing all aspects of diabetes including: