Diabetes occurs when:

• your body does not produce enough of a hormone called insulin, and;
• your body produces insulin but it does not work the way it should

Your body needs insulin to help control blood sugar levels.

The two most common types of diabetes are type 1 and type 2. People with type 1 diabetes produce no insulin at all. People with type 2 diabetes may produce some insulin but not enough or the insulin that is produced does not work right.

A third kind of diabetes is called gestational diabetes. This type of diabetes can appear when a woman is pregnant.

All types of diabetes need to be taken seriously.

Some people have blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but are not high enough to be called diabetes. Sometimes people refer to this as prediabetes or 'borderline diabetes'. These people are at risk to develop diabetes and can be seen at our centre.

Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes

• unusual thirst
• frequent urination
• weight change
• extreme fatigue or lack of energy
• blurred vision
• frequent or recurring infections
• cuts and bruises that are slow to heal
• tingling or numbness in hands or feet
• trouble getting and maintaining an erection

Who is at Risk of Developing? Anyone who:

• Is 40 years old or older
• Has a parent, brother or sister with diabetes
• Is of Aboriginal, Hispanic, Asian, South Asian, or African descent
• Has high blood pressure or cholesterol
• Is overweight
• Has given birth to a baby weighing more than 4 kilograms (9 pounds)
• Has had gestational diabetes
• Has prediabetes or borderline diabetes
• Has schizophrenia
• Has polycystic ovary syndrome
• Has acanthosis nigricans (darkened patches of skin)

Source: Canadian Diabetes Association 2003 Clinical Practice Guidelines