What the Heck is She Talkin’ ‘Bout?

For those of you who haven’t had any experience with diabetes, here are a few words that you should know when reading this blog.

Diabetes: A condition where the pancreas produces insufficient or no insulin, a hormone which controls sugar levels in the blood. Without insulin, the blood cannot absorb sugar into cells for energy and into liver and fat cells for storage.

Type 1 (aka Juvenile Diabetes) Diabetes: A condition where the pancreas does not make insulin, usually found at a young age but can also be diagnosed in people during their 20s.

Type 2 Diabetes: A condition, often times preventable, that results in the cells resistance to the insulin being produced by the pancreas. People diagnosed are usually overweight and in their 30s or older, although it is becoming more prevalent in people of younger ages.

Hemoglobin A1c Test: This is an important test that determines how well blood sugars are being controlled over a three-month or 12-week span. It directly correlates with at-home blood sugar monitoring. The normal A1c result is between a 4-6 but diabetics aim for anything less than 7.

Hyperglycemia: This basically means that a person is found to have a high blood sugar reading. When the sugar is not absorbed by the body’s cells, it results in abundance in the blood stream, resulting, if not properly handled, in multiple complications.

Hypoglycemia: This is the opposite of Hyperglycemia. This happens when your blood sugar drops below normal  causing an increase in heart rate, dizziness, shaking and blurred vision. Eating bread or drinking juice can relieve these symptoms.

Insulin: Insulin is a hormone that’s secreted by the pancreas to help regulate blood-sugar level and promotes glycogen storage.

If I’m missing something, please let me know.