Diabetes is a serious disease. Following your diabetes treatment plan takes round-the-clock commitment. But your efforts are worthwhile. Careful diabetes care can reduce your risk of serious — even life-threatening — complications.

Here are 10 ways to take an active role in diabetes care and enjoy a healthier future.....

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Today celebrates World Diabetes Day, a day of
global awareness of the disease held annually. The
theme for 2014 is Healthy Living and Diabetes –
specifically focusing on how blood sugar levels
can be controlled by eating a good breakfast.
It was set up in response to the rise of diabetes
around the world, on the day marking the birthday
of Frederick Banting, who along with Charles Best,
first conceived the idea which led to the discovery
of insulin in 1922.
Introduced in 1991 by the International Diabetes
Federation and the World Health Organisation, the
day is now an official United Nations day.
Last year, the international charity JDRF launched
the Twitter campaign #TypeOnsie to raise
awareness of type 1 diabetes.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a
person's blood sugar level to become too high.
Although diabetes is a group of metabolic
diseases, there are two main types – type 1 and
type 2.
High blood sugar causes frequent urination, thirst
and hunger. Untreated, it can cause severe
complications such as heart disease, stroke,
kidney failure and damage to the eyes.
It is caused by either the pancreas not producing
enough insulin, or the cells of the body not
responding properly to the insulin provided.
Insulin, a hormone created in the pancreas, helps
the body use glucose for energy.
How many people are affected?
In 2010, there was an estimated 3.1 million people
aged 16 or over with diabetes in the United
Kingdom, both diagnosed and undiagnosed.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention's National Diabetes Statistics Report in
2014, 29.1 million people or 9.3 percent of the US
population had the condition.
Globally, as of 2013, there are an estimated 382
million people with diabetes worldwide, with type 2
diabetes making up about 90 percent of the cases.
What is the difference between the two types of
diabetes?
In type 1 diabetes, the body's immune system
attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin.
This leads glucose levels to increase, damaging
the body's organs. It is known as insulin-
dependent diabetes and often develops before the
age of 40.
Type 2 diabetes is where the body fails to produce
enough insulin, or the body's cells do not react to
insulin. Often associated with obesity, it is a
progressive condition and is normally treated using
tablets.
Can lifestyle changes affect diabetes?
Being active and eating a balanced diet of fruit,
vegetables, starchy foods, non-dairy sources of
protein and dairy can be beneficial to controlling
and preventing both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
According to Diabetes UK, however, the same
eating pattern is recommended for everyone –
trying to eat foods low in salt, fat and sugar.
Lifestyle changes are often advised for those with a
high risk of diabetes and who have been recently
diagnosed with type 2. Recommendations include
taking two-and-a-half hours each week of
moderate physical activity, while losing weight to
achieve a healthy body mass index.

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