What is diabetes and what causes Type 2 diabetes?
Diabetes occurs when the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood becomes too high. Normally, after we eat, various foods are broken down in the gut into sugars which are then absorbed into the body. The main sugar is called glucose. To remain healthy, your blood glucose level should not go too high or too low. A hormone called insulin helps to take glucose from the bloodstream into various cells of the body. This helps to keep the blood sugar normal. Insulin is made by special cells in the pancreas. In Type 2 diabetes you either do not make enough insulin for your body`s needs, and/or the cells in your body are not able to use the insulin properly. (The pancreas does not stop making insulin which occurs in Type 1 diabetes.) Type 2 diabetes usually first develops after the age of 40. It tends to run in families. It is more common in people who are overweight. It is also more common in African, Afro-Caribbean and Asian people. What are the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes? Symptoms include: exc
