About Diabetes
Approximately 20 million people are living with diabetes in the United States. Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not use insulin properly or may not make insulin at all. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that helps our bodies use food for fuel in all of our activities of daily living.
Type 1 Diabetes
- Five to 10 percent of people with diabetes have Type 1 diabetes
- Diagnosis typically occurs between 14 to 40 years of age, but may occur in those who are younger or older
- Genetic make up
- Typically lean - but not always
- The body's immune system attacks and destroys the pancreatic cells that make insulin
- Absolute insulin deficiency
- Treated with insulin right away and for a lifetime
Learn more about our Discovering Diabetes Self-Management Class Series.
Type 2 Diabetes
- Ninety to 95 percent of people living with diabetes
- Diagnosis typically occurs between 30 to 50 years of age, but may occur in those who are younger or older
- Typically heavy - but not always
- Relative insulin deficiency (the body makes less insulin than it used to make)
- Insulin resistance (the body ignores the insulin it still makes and because of this, the body needs to make more insulin than usual to overcome this insulin resistance)
- Too much stored glucose, or sugar, is released from the liver when it is not needed, because the liver is resistant to insulin or because the body is making less insulin than it used to make
- Treatment includes: food, exercise, monitoring blood sugars at home, pills and/or insulin to fix the insulin resistance, extra liver sugar, and insulin deficiency
Learn more about our Discovering Diabetes Self-Management Class Series.
Pre-Diabetes
- Forty-one million people in the United States have pre-diabetes
- Blood sugars are higher than normal but not high enough to be warrant a diabetes diagnosis
- According to the American Diabetes Association, people almost always have pre-diabetes before they develop Type 2 diabetes
- Good News: With healthful lifestyle choices, you can prevent and/or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes
Learn how to prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes at our Pre-Diabetes Class.
Gestational Diabetes
- Occurs in approximately four percent of all pregnancies, typically during the second half of pregnancy
- Usually disappears after giving birth
- Most likely caused by the placental hormones that block the body's use of insulin, which is also a form of insulin resistance (all pregnant women need to make extra insulin to overcome this temporary insulin resistance)
- When your body does not make enough extra insulin, your blood sugars become higher than normal
- Typically treated with food and exercise (as tolerated and allowed); however, pills and/or insulin may also be used to control blood sugars
Learn more about our Gestational Diabetes Program.
For more information or to register for classes, please call 480.728.3535.
