HumbleLand
Otter Creek, Lake Cumberland Kentucky
Diabetes (medically known as diabetes mellitus) is a chronic
metabolic disorder characterized by elevated levels of blood
glucose, or sugar. It occurs when your body produces little or no
insulin or when your cells don’t respond appropriately to the
insulin that is produced. Diabetes usually can’t be cured; left
untreated — or poorly managed — it can lead to serious long-term
complications, including kidney failure, amputation, and blindness.
Moreover, having diabetes increases your risk for cardiovascular
disease, including heart attack and stroke.
The odds are that you or someone you know has diabetes already or is
at risk of developing this disease. The number of Americans with
diabetes currently tops 18 million, or roughly 1 out of every 15
people, and many more are at risk.
Of course, if you or someone you love has diabetes, the disorder is
about much more than a statistic. It means a new way of life. Eating
a meal, planning a vacation, or going for a run requires forethought
and planning. From testing your blood sugar, to planning your meals,
to injecting yourself with insulin, managing your diabetes takes
effort and discipline.
What’s more, you not only have to think about keeping your blood
sugar levels as normal as possible from day to day, you also have to
worry about finding ways to avoid long-term complications that may
develop as a result of having diabetes. People with diabetes face an
increased risk of such complications as blindness, kidney failure,
amputation, and heart attacks and stroke.
Small wonder, then, that a diagnosis of diabetes may seem
overwhelming. Both people with diabetes and their families may find
themselves struggling with negative emotions — fear, frustration,
anger —as they learn more about the disease and the lifestyle
changes it requires.
However, there’s plenty of good news emerging about diabetes.
Research shows that keeping your blood sugar levels as close to
normal as possible is worth the time and effort. Rigorous blood
sugar control can enable you to delay or even prevent the
progression of diabetes and its debilitating long-term
complications. Such tight control is now possible thanks to recent
innovations such as high-tech monitoring devices, improved
medications, and nearly painless insulin injectors.
