Diabetes is disabling, deadly and on the rise.  In fact, diabetes is at epidemic proportions in the United States. 

There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 and Type 2.  Type 1 diabetes occurs when your body can't make insulin.  Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body makes some, but not enough insulin. It is generally accompanied by an inability to respond normally to insulin.  Ninety to 95 percent of people with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes.

A complex relationship between insulin, glucose, your liver and other hormones ensures that your blood sugar stays within set limits.  Here's how it works: 

• When you eat, your body breaks down carbohydrates from foods into various sugar molecules.  One of these is glucose which is absorbed directly into your bloodstream, to be used or stored.
• When you don't eat, your liver (and kidney) produce sugar for fuel.
• Insulin causes glucose to be absorbed into your cells, where it can be used for energy. 
• The pancreas produces insulin and regulates how much is released into your body. 
• If you don't eat for a long period, the pancreas limits release of insulin.  
• After a meal or a snack, the pancreas sends extra insulin into your bloodstream.  
• If you have more glucose than your cells need, your body stores the excess in your liver as glycogen until it's needed.

If all goes well, your body maintains "normal" blood sugar levels.  If there isn't enough insulin or your body can't use it properly, glucose accumulates in the blood instead of going into cells.  When blood glucose levels are chronically too high, you have diabetes. 

Over the long term, diabetes can cause serious complications, including amputations, blindness, heart disease, stroke, nerve disease, kidney disease and even premature death.  It is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States with some estimates suggesting that diabetes can shorten an individual's life by as much as 15 years. 

However, all is not doom and gloom.  While there's no cure for Type 2 diabetes, it can be managed and the onset of complications delayed.  Better yet, Type 2 diabetes itself can often be prevented when people make good lifestyle choices and make them early enough in their lives.  Read on for more information.