What Is Diabetes?
This disease affects the body's ability to use and/or produce insulin. Insulin - a hormone produced by the pancreas - acts like a gate keeper, transferring sugar from the bloodstream into cells where it is converted into energy. If the person's blood sugar level rises too high, too quickly, it can create immediate symptoms of nausea, blurry vision, sleepiness and feelings of weakness. Over time, the cumulative effects of abnormally high blood sugar levels may result in blood circulation problems.

Patients can have one of two types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is caused by insulin deficiency. Because the person's pancreas has stopped producing insulin, his or her blood sugar levels can rise extremely high. Insulin injections are needed to keep them under control. Symptoms of high blood sugar levels includes becoming very sick quickly, lethargy, inability to function and frequent urination. This form is common in children, adolescents and adults under 30.

Type 2 diabetes, traditionally the adult form of the disease, is now appearing more often in young patients due to life-styles. Usually starting at age 35 to 40, this disease is due to insulin resistance. The cells in the person's body have trouble receiving sugar from the blood stream and therefore are unable to produce energy. The liver tries to compensate for the lack of energy by releasing even more sugar into the blood stream. This overcompensation may go on for several years before the person experiences symptoms such as thirst, increased frequency of urination, blurry vision, extreme tiredness and sores that will not heal.

Learning More About Diabetes
While there is no cure for diabetes, it can be controlled with life-style changes and/or medication. For people living with diabetes, their daily goal is to maintain a delicate balance between the sugar in their diet and insulin. This will help them control acute symptoms, prevent long-term complications, and promote better overall health. As difficult as that may seem, diabetes management is similar to leading a healthy life-style based on educated decisions, meal planning and exercise.

Each of Carolinas HealthCare System's specialized diabetes centers plays an important role in helping primary care physicians help patients successfully self-manage their disease. Through individual and small group sessions, patients and their family members learn about topics such as meal planning, exercise regimens and the importance of checking blood sugar levels regularly. Ideally, patients with type 1 diabetes would test their blood sugar three to four times a day: first thing in the morning before they eat anything, before lunch, before dinner and before bed time. For patients with type 2, testing one to two times a day is recommended, but always at varying times.

There's obvious proof that patients benefit from the focused educational training. Patients who attend class have shown substantial decreases in their average blood sugars, and the average birth weight of babies born to moms with diabetes is within a healthy range.