Living with Diabetes

Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a chronic condition in which the body either produces no or insufficient insulin, or the insulin that is produced cannot be used effectively. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates blood sugar levels by promoting the uptake of glucose into the cells of the body. There are three main types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body's immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. This leads to a lack of insulin in the body, which in turn increases blood sugar levels.Diabetes mellitus, or diabetes for short, is a metabolic disease characterized by elevated blood sugar levels. The body can no longer adequately utilize the sugar (glucose) that we absorb from food because it either produces too little insulin or because the insulin no longer works properly.