Being Active with Diabetes
Diabetes Food Pyramid 
Eating & Carbohydrate Basics
Diabetes Medications
Insulin
Personal Diabetes Record
Testing Your Own Blood Sugar
More about Diabetes
Treatment Options for People at Risk
Community Programs
Tools for Clinicians
Type 2 Diabetes:
Act Now to Reduce Your Risks
Diabetes is a condition that makes it hard for your body to turn the food that you eat into energy. After you eat, your body releases a hormone (insulin) that causes blood sugar to enter the cells where it is used for energy. When you do not make enough insulin—or your body does not use insulin well—sugar builds up in your blood causing diabetes. Over the years, this high blood sugar can damage your nerves and blood vessels. This may lead to heart attack, stroke, and other health problems.
The most common kind of diabetes is type 2. Weight gain and low levels of physical activity increase the chance that you'll get type 2 diabetes.
People at risk for diabetes may be told that they have pre-diabetes. Pre-diabetes means that your blood sugar levels are higher than normal levels, but not yet in the diabetes range.
What are the signs and symptoms of diabetes?
- tired a lot of the time
- always thirsty
- need to urinate often
- blurry vision
- more hungry than usual
- wounds or cuts that won't heal
- numbness or tingling of the feet
- frequent vaginal infections
- sudden weight loss
If you have any of these symptoms, tell your doctor or other medical professional as soon as possible.
How do I know if I should be tested for diabetes?
If you have symptoms of diabetes, you should get tested. Also if you are 45 years old and have one or more of the "high-risk" factors listed on the back page, get tested for diabetes every one to three years. If you are 45 years or older with no "high-risk" factors, get tested every 5 years. However, if you have had gestational diabetes, pre-diabetes, or have a very unhealthy weight, you'll want to get tested every year.