What is Diabetes?

Sometimes the body cannot make full use of some of the foods we eat, chiefly carbohydrates or sugars and starches because:-

• The pancreas, a large gland lying behind the stomach, does not make available enough insulin to turn these foods into energy or to store them for future use.
• The sugars and starches therefore increase the blood sugar content until the sugar passes through the kidneys and into the urine.

This loss of carbohydrate energy causes the symptoms of diabetes and can lead to fatal illness if not controlled.

Can Diabetes be Controlled?

Yes by DIET, EXERCISE and DRUGS (i.e. Insulin or tablets)

How Common is Diabetes?

It is estimated that there are about twenty seven thousand (27,000) known diabetics in Barbados.

Can anyone, at any age, develop diabetes?

Yes, however certain people however, are more likely to do so than others. For example, people who have a relative with diabetes; those over the age of forty; or those who are overweight.

What are the Symptoms of Diabetes?

• abnormal thirst
• a frequent need to urinate
• a change in your appetite
• loss of weight
• blurring of your vision
• undue fatigue and tiredness
• persistent itching