Diabetes is a chronic condition about the body’s abnormally high blood sugar levels that can be fatal if proper treatment or attention is not observed. Sugar or glucose levels in the body rise everytime we eat and drink. The pancreas produces insulin-- a hormone that neutralizes glucose and keeps it from going through the roof-- in the bloodstream. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas loses its ability to produce the right amounts of insulin which signals the liver, fat cells, and muscles to absorb glucose. Consequently, with the absence of insulin, glucose will stay in the blood and its levels will rise up as the insulin remains missing. 

A patient will be more likely to have diabetes if he/she is overweight, has a family history of diabetes, not physically active or has high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or high triglycerides.

There are two types of diabetes: juvenile diabetes and adult-onset diabetes. The first type, juvenile diabetes, also known as insulin-dependent diabetes happens when the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas are destroyed by the body. The second type, also known as adult-onset, is caused by insulin deprivation or resistance.