Diabetes is a disease in which our body does not produce enough "Insulin" or effective insulin. Most of the components of our meal contain sugar. When we eat food, it is broken down into simple sugar called glucose. This glucose is taken by blood and it travels there freely till it is used by the cells to produce energy. Our cells use glucose to produce energy to do work such as our daily activities of walking, sitting, running and so on. Apart from this, our body needs glucose for proper functioning all organs of body.

Types of Diabetes
a) Pre-Diabetes is a condition when your blood sugar levels are high but not that high to classify you as a diabetic. It is a stage between normal and diabetes stage. It is also called Borderline Diabetes, Chemical Diabetes, Touch of Diabetes, and Honeymoon Period of diabetes. ADA defines it as a stage before the development of diabetes, with normal glucose tolerance, but with an increased risk of developing diabetes in near future.
b) Type I Diabetes: Popularly known as Juvenile- Onset Diabetes, it is a condition in which the body fails to produce insulin. It occurs most often in childhood or in the teens. Individuals with this type of diabetes need daily injections of insulin. They must balance their daily intake of food and activities carefully with their insulin shots to keep sugar levels under control. Juvenile - diabetes is an autoimmune disorder which can be due to environmental trigger or virus, which hampers the function of beta cell. Once the beta cells are destroyed the body is unable to produce insulin. A child with diabetic siblings is more prone to develop juvenile diabetes than the child from a totally unaffected family. It is considered to be a more hereditary problem than excess eating or being obese. Almost 5 percent of the population suffers from juvenile diabetes.
c) Type II Diabetes: Type 2 Diabetes is also called non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes. This occurs around 35 to 40 years. The more common of the two types, it accounts for about 90 per cent of the diabetics. It is characterized by the inability of body to use insulin. Here, though the pancreas produces adequate insulin, body cells show reduced sensitivity towards it. Type 2 diabetes is usually triggered by obesity. The best way to fight it is by weight loss, exercise and dietary control. The treatment can be either through oral medication or through insulin injections.
d) Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM): This type of diabetes occurs in pregnant females usually during late pregnancy. It is due to the fact that the hormones produced during pregnancy reduce woman’s receptivity to insulin. It is often a temporary phase which goes away as soon as the pregnancy ends. However, these females are always at a higher risk of developing diabetes during the later years of life. Gestational diabetes, affects approximately 4% of all the pregnant females.

Symptoms of Diabetes: Individuals can experience different warning signs, and sometimes there may be no obvious warning, but some of the signs are commonly experienced:
Extreme thirst and a dry mouth (Polydypsia)
Frequent urination (Polyuria)
Extreme hunger (Polyphagia)
Extreme tiredness/lack of energy
Sudden weight loss
Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
Sore or wounds that heal slowly
Recurrent infections
Blurred vision
Irritability

Prevention of Diabetes:
a) Primary prevention is a very promising strategy to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes and its complications for individuals who are at risk of developing diabetes. It is beneficial for older people who are at risk of developing type II diabetes. No researches have concluded that type I diabetes can be prevented by any strategy. Timely intervention of primary prevention can not only prevent from diabetes but also reduce the risk of developing heart disease other associated disorders. The various components of primary prevention are lifestyle changes to maintain a healthy weight, healthy diet with proper nutrition, regular physical activity and health check- ups at desired intervals.
b) Secondary prevention is targeted at the early detection of the complications associated with diabetes, so that they can be prevented. Secondary prevention ensures cost effectiveness in terms of reduced treatment cost and hospitalization requirements to treat the complications of diabetes and also helps a diabetic in attaining good quality of life. Researches have proved that diabetic individuals, who are able to manage their blood sugar levels effectively, have reduced incidence of complications related to diabetes and have a better quality of life.

Complications of Diabetes:
a) Short Term Complications: Hypoglycemia (Low blood sugar levels): This is a condition when your blood sugar level drops to very low concentration. It can be due to one or more of the following reasons:
You have taken too much insulin because of overestimation of the dosage
You have exercised more than normal
You skip the meal despite taking the insulin or oral hypoglycemic agent dose or have not eaten adequately.
Taking too much of alcohol
If you are ill
b) Long term complications: Diabetic Retinopathy: Diabetes-related eye complications are very common. It is the leading cause of blindness and vision problem now. If left untreated, they lead to the deterioration of vision and, ultimately, blindness.