What is diabetes?
There are 2 types of diabetes, Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. There is also gestational diabetes, this occurs during pregnancy. If you have Type 1 diabetes, there will be a virus that destroys the insulin that produces beta cells of the pancreas. This means that your body will be unable to transport sugar throughout the body, allowing the cells to gain the nourishment they need to survive.

Type 2 diabetes is caused by poor diet and it is also hereditary. People that are obese are usually diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes because their insulin resistance continues to decrease over time. Some people develop it at a young age, but it can take several years for it to completely manifest itself in adults.

Finally there is gestational diabetes. This type of diabetes occurs when a fetus in growing in the uterus. The hormones during pregnancy cause gestational diabetes to occur. The symptoms of gestational diabetes are similar to Type 2 diabetes.

What are the warning signs of diabetes?
The problem with warning signs of diabetes is that they are very similar to other medical conditions. Here are a few of the most common warning signs of diabetes:

• Urination frequency. If you find that you are going to the bathroom a lot, it could be a warning sign of diabetes. Excessive urination occurs because there is too much glucose in the blood and the kidneys are extracting water from the blood stream in order to dilute the excessive amount of glucose. In addition to urination frequency, you may also find that your thirst is unquenchable. Since the kidneys are working overtime, they are draining all the organisms in your body, causing you to feel thirsty all the time.


• Lethargy, loss of energy, weakness. Since your body is unable to produce enough insulin, your cells cannot generate energy, causing you to feel tired all the time.


• Weight gain or loss. Individuals with diabetes often have extreme weight loss or weight gain. Since you no longer have energy to perform your day-to-day activities, you may find that you are sitting around more, causing you to eat more and put on weight or you can eat less and you will lose weight.


• Numbness or tingling. You will start to feel numbness once the disease has started to take its toll on your body. At first it may seem gradual but over time the numbness will get worse.


• Infections. It is easy for individuals with diabetes to get severe infections and they often take a long time to heal. Cuts may open up and ooze for several days.


• Blurred vision. Another common symptom of diabetes is having blurred vision. The blurry vision may happen off and on or it could result in permanent eyesight loss.


• Itchiness. It is common to feel itchy all over if you have diabetes because the nervous system has experienced damage due to the high concentration of glucose in the body. The itchiness is common in the hands and legs.


• Headaches. Frequent headaches are a warning sign of diabetes. The headaches can start with small headaches and turn into migraines in a few hours.