Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. People with diabetes have problems converting food to energy. After a meal, food is broken down into a sugar called glucose, which is carried by the blood to cells throughout the body. Cells use the hormone insulin, made in the pancreas, to help them process blood glucose into energy.

People develop Type 2 diabetes because the cells in the muscles, liver, and fat do not use insulin properly and/or the pancreas cannot make enough insulin for the body’s needs. As a result, the amount of glucose in the blood increases while the cells are starved of energy.

Over the years, if uncontrolled, high blood glucose damages nerves and blood vessels, leading to complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, nerve problems, gum infections and amputation.

Many have no signs or symptoms. Symptoms can also be so mild that you might not even notice them.

Symptoms include:
• increased thirst
• increased hunger
• fatigue
• increased urination, especially at night
• weight loss
• blurred vision
• sores that do not heal

A diabetic needs to concentrate on keeping blood sugar levels as close to normal (“euglycemia”) as possible, without causing hypoglycemia (low blood glucose).

This can usually be accomplished with diet, exercise, and use of appropriate drugs (insulin for Type 1 diabetes, oral medications and possibly insulin, for Type 2.

A balanced healthy diet must always be followed.

Therefore, basing your meals on the following four food groups – bread, cereals and potatoes; fruit and vegetables; milk and diary products; meat, fish and alternatives – is of utmost importance.

Dr Charmaine Gauci MD,MSc
Director Health Promotion and Disease Prevention