Diabetes is a word that seems to make many people uncomfortable. The discomfort can affect people who have diabetes, people who know someone with diabetes, or people who are worried that they may come down with diabetes sometime in the future.

There is a lot of information available on diabetes. Sorting through everything there is to know about diabetes can seem overwhelming at first. In addition to information on diabetes itself, there is the role of diet, exercise and medication in managing this condition. The solution that seems to work for most people is to take the information in small, manageable segments and develop an understanding and a plan for managing diabetes.

Diabetes means your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Your blood always has some glucose in it because your body needs glucose for energy to keep you going. But too much glucose in the blood isn’t good for your health.

What are the signs of diabetes?

The signs of diabetes are

• being very thirsty
• urinating often
• feeling very hungry or tired
• losing weight without trying
• having sores that heal slowly
• having dry, itchy skin
• losing the feeling in your feet or having tingling in your feet
• having blurry eyesight

You may have had one or more of these signs before you found out you had diabetes. Or you may have had no signs at all. A blood test to check your glucose levels will show if you have pre-diabetes or diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes, formerly called adult-onset diabetes or noninsulin-dependent diabetes, is the most common form of diabetes. People can develop type 2 diabetes at any age—even during childhood. This form of diabetes usually begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which fat, muscle, and liver cells do not use insulin properly. At first, the pancreas keeps up with the added demand by producing more insulin. In time, however, it loses the ability to secrete enough insulin in response to meals. Being overweight and inactive increases the chances of developing type 2 diabetes. Treatment includes using diabetes medicines, making wise food choices, being physically active, taking aspirin daily—for some—and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol.

After many years, diabetes can lead to serious problems with your eyes, kidneys, nerves, and gums and teeth. But the most serious problem caused by diabetes is heart disease. When you have diabetes, you are more than twice as likely as people without diabetes to have heart disease or a stroke.

If you have diabetes, your risk of a heart attack is the same as someone who has already had a heart attack. Both women and men with diabetes are at risk. You may not even have the typical signs of a heart attack.

You can reduce your risk of developing heart disease by controlling your blood pressure and blood fat levels. If you smoke, talk with your doctor about quitting. Remember that every step toward your goals helps!

Everyone’s blood has some glucose in it. In people who don’t have diabetes, the normal range is about 70 to 120. Blood glucose goes up after eating but 1 or 2 hours later returns to the normal range.Ask your health care team when you should check your blood glucose with a meter. It may be hard to reach your target range all of the time. But the closer you get to your goal, the more you will reduce your risk of diabetes-related problems and the better you will feel. Every step helps.