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Type 1 Diabetes:

Diabetes generally is a condition where the body has little or no insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is made in the pancreas that serves to take free floating glucose out of the blood stream, and 'push' it into the red blood cells where it becomes caloric energy to be carried to muscles, organs, the brain, and the rest of the body so it can be used as energy. Without insulin, the sugars from the foods we eat will build up in the blood stream, and cause serious illness for the person at hand. Glucose levels for a non-diabetic, or controlled diabetic run between 70 and 150, depending on time of day, length between meals, activity levels and age. Babies usually have slightly higher controlled glucose levels as their bodies are filled with growth hormones that raise glucose so the body can use it to grow, and seniors usually have slightly lower controlled glucose levels, and their bodies have a lighter work load. Diabetics can have glucose levels of any number. Usually numbers above 700 will leave the Diabetic in a coma, 400-600 you will feel sick, faint, extremely thirsty and may have protien in the urine as the body will think it is being starved because the exess glucose in the blood should be in the red cells, but isn't, 200-400 will leave the patient with increased thirst, appetite, frequent urination and fatigue, and 100-200 the patient will likely not feel any adverse affects. Glucose numbers below 70 will leave the patient weak, disoriented, slurring their speech, and fainting. All above said results vary in intensity, depending on the age of the patient, and what their typical glusose levels are. A person with a glucose level of 100 will feel adverse effects with a number at about 240, and will feel 'low' when their glucose drops below 70 or so. A person with a typical glucose of 250, will feel no adverse effects until their number is maybe 350, and will feel 'low' when their number is in a really healthy range like 100. Same idea as drug tolerance. Glucose levels that are not controlled, regardless of how they make the patient feel, will damage the body. Kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, high cholesterol, blindness and limb amputation due to poor circulation are some of the most common complications associated with uncontrolled diabetes.
Often we hear about Type 2 Diabetes, because 98% of Diabetics have this form of the condition, where the pancreas makes some insulin, but not enough for the body, or the insulin is not being used efficiently by the body to regulate blood sugar levels. Insulin injections are typically not needed for Type 2, as pills usually help the body to use the insulin it has more effectively, but sometimes Type 2 patients are placed on insulin when their medications are maxed out, and cannot be effective enough for the patient. Typically, the cause of Type 2 Diabetes is Obesity, followed by geneitc predisposition. Type 2 Diabetes can be reversed in most cases (not all).

Another, less common form of the disease is Type 1 Diabetes. This form of the condition is where the pancreas makes absolutely NO insulin at all, and the patient must rely on outside treatment such as insulin injections, or an insulin pump to recieve the insulin that they need. This form of the conditon cannot be reversed, and the cause is unknown. Some Type 1 Diabetics are afflicted with the condition due to pancreatic cancer, but most have the condition through unknown means. This form of Diabetes is considered to be less threatening to the patients health, as they are in complete control of their insulin and body, where Type 2 Diabetics are left having to guess to some degree what their pancreas is doing, and adjust their oral medication accordingly. Type 2 diabetics suffer a larger number of complications than Type 1 statistically speaking.

Myths and Facts about Diabetes -

1. Diabetics cannot eat sugar - FALSE. Diabetics bodies run on glucose the same way anyone's body does. Diabetics must have sugar to survive. This myth comes from the general societal knowledge that sugar harms a diabetic person, though raising the blood sugar level. This is theoretically true, but taking insulin to balance out the glucose level will eliminate any problem. Diabetics can eat the same foods as anyone else, so long as they take enough insulin for it, and monitor blood sugars after they eat.

2. Diabetics are fat - FALSE. Type 2 Diabetes can be brought on by obesity, not the other way around, as the body of a Food lover, or genetically predisposed person cannot produce enough insulin to take care of all of the extra sugar that this persons body is recieving. This is a defense mechanism by the body to slow weight gain, but also causes damage to the person because blood glucose levels rise. There are many Diabetics of both types that control their blood sugars, and are of perfectly healthy weight. Some have had type 1 for many many years, have no complications, and weigh 110 pounds. There are many Type 2 Diabetics that control their glucose too, and are of a healthy weight. As stated earlier, not all cases of Type 2 can be reversed.

3. Diabetics cannot join the military - TRUE. Diabetes is a condition that must be constantly monitored and balanced out. A diabetic soldier could put his or her fellow soldiers in great danger if his/her glucose were to get low during a mission, and they would have to stop and eat something, or possibly faint while piloting, as well as put everyone at risk by having to slow down to test their blood sugar during a war situation or training. This regulation is in place to protect both diabetics, and their fellow soldiers.