Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that affects the way your body uses food. Normally, your
body converts sugars, starches and other foods into a form of sugar called
glucose. Your body uses glucose for fuel. The cells receive the glucose through
the bloodstream. They then use insulin (a hormone made by the pancreas) to
absorb the glucose, convert it into energy, and either use it or store it for later
use.
In diabetes, something goes wrong with this process. Food is changed into
glucose, but either your body doesn't make enough insulin or it can't properly
use the insulin it produces. When the glucose is unable to enter the cells, it
begins to build up in the bloodstream. High blood-glucose levels, or as they're
sometimes known – high blood-sugar levels, are one of the main signs of
undiagnosed diabetes.
The goal of treatment for all types of diabetes is to keep blood sugar at or near
normal levels.