About your body
Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic (ongoing) condition where people have high blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. People with high blood glucose levels (or hypeglycaemia – pronounced hyper-gli-see-mee-ya) often feel tired, seem to be overly thirsty, experience blurry vision and frequently have to urinate (wee).
As diabetes has no known cure, people with it have to manage their diet and blood glucose (blood sugar) levels, maintain a healthy weight and also make sure they get enough exercise.
There are two types of diabetes: Type 1, or early onset diabetes and; Type II, or mature onset diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and presents in children at an early age. People with Type 1 diabetes have to constantly manage their health by monitoring their insulin levels for the rest of their lives. People with Type 1 diabetes often have to take insulin injections to make sure they have the correct levels and can stay alive.
Type 11 diabetes generally only affects people who have an unhealthy diet and don’t get enough exercise. Sometimes , adults, teenagers and young children with extra weight around their stomach may end up with Type 11 diabetes, especially if they continue to have an unhealthy diet and do not exercise on a regularly. Sometimes tablets are required to help manage high blood glucose levels.
Both types of diabetes are serious conditions and if unmanaged, can have serious effects on your organs – some of the long-term complications caused by diabetes are permanent kidney damage, blindness, heart disease and bacterial infections that can lead to amputations of your legs and arms.