Diabetes

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes plays a huge role in my family’s health history. It is not my mom or my dad or my brother who have it, but it still affects my life. My grandma, Sandy Soda, has diabetes. When I was little, I remember her pricking her finger and never knowing why. After my research, I now have a different perspective on what she goes through. My grandmother is a very strong woman and I look up to her because she never shows weakness. If you would look at my grandma, a person would never know that she has diabetes. She is not mad at the world or depressed about it because she knows it is in her life and there is nothing she can do about it. I decided to research diabetes because of the role it plays in my life. I always thought life was hard for me, until I found out what some of my family members go through. Diabetes can change a life. DEFINITION: Many people have heard of diabetes, but may not know exactly what it means. Diabetes is a disease that affects how the body uses glucose, a sugar that is the body’s main source of fuel. There are two types of diabetes; Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is when the pancreas cannot make any insulin. The body’s immune system attacks the pancreas and destroys insulin making cells. Type 2 diabetes is the most common diabetes out of the two. Type 2 diabetes is when the pancreas still produces insulin, but the body does not react normally to the insulin made. The glucose is not as able to enter the cells and provide energy. Diabetes may not be a life threatening disease, but it is still a very serious disease. SYMPTOMS: Diabetes may be common to get, but not so easy to notice the signs. People may think that they have to have all the symptoms to have diabetes. That is not always the case though. A person may only have one symptom and have diabetes. There are many signs of diabetes. Some are increased hunger, fatigue, nausea, dry mouth, itching skin, frequent urination, blurred vision, and unexplained weight loss or