With so much to learn about diabetes, you may feel overwhelmed at times. Don’t worry—this is normal. We’re here to help you learn about diabetes and how to manage it. Let’s start with the basics.
Your Body
First, let’s learn a little about your body. You have a small organ called the pancreas, which sits just behind and a little below your stomach. The pancreas has beta cells that have the special job of making insulin.
What is Glucose?
Glucose is a simple form of sugar. Glucose, or sugar, is your body’s main source of energy. When you eat, your food gets digested and the sugar from the food travels through the blood stream to the parts of your body that need it. Insulin comes from the pancreas when the amount of sugar in your blood stream starts to go up. The insulin helps the sugar get into your body's cells to be used for energy.
Insulin
People with diabetes either don’t have any insulin, not enough insulin or the insulin they do have doesn’t work very well. When you have diabetes, sugar doesn’t get into your cells, which means too much sugar stays in your bloodstream and your cells don’t have the energy they need.
High Blood Sugar (Hyperglycemia)
Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, is when sugar stays in your blood stream rather than being used for energy inside your body’s cells. Having high blood sugar for a long time can harm your body. That’s why it’s so important to learn how to keep your blood sugar in a healthy range.
Source: Canadian Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.ca)
