Everyone needs food for energy, but this does not always happen especially when a person suffers with diabetes. When eating food, once it is converted by the digestive system, food is transformed into glucose which is then used by our metabolisms for energy. When a person has diabetes, this glucose has a problem being distributed around the body in the blood. Because the natural distribution method employed by the body is faulty, glucose levels rise which can cause serious health problems.

Information in this article is regarding the two major types of the condition. In type 1, which is also called juvenile onset diabetes or insulin-dependent where the body completely stops producing any insulin; this results in the diabetic requiring an insulin injection every day to stay healthy and alive. The drug insulin plays the major role of ensuring the glucose level remain at a safe level. The second type is called adult onset diabetes and happens later in life; the body is still producing insulin but there is a problem with its production or use, but fortunately this type can be treated with a special diet.

Those energy foods which we all need to live are pasta, rice, potatoes, bread and fruit of course. Prolonged periods of high blood glucose levels can lead to problems like heart disease, kidney complaints, blindness and even limb amputations.

However, it is possible to manage diabetes by maintaining a strict health regime; then many of the conditions associated with this condition can be slowed down considerably if not stopped altogether. Managing this condition means changing your lifestyle to suit your condition any medication that has been prescribed; but this means sticking to your medication, watching your blood sugar, cholesterol and to stop smoking!

Apart from this, your blood pressure and weight should not go above the limits your doctor advised. Once you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you will have it for life; currently approx 2.6 percent of the U.S. population or about 5.5 million Americans, are known to have this health problem.

The problem is that here are probably another 5.5 million people who have this condition but just don't know it; each year there are over six hundred thousand new cases. Officially, the number of deaths each year directly attributable to diabetes is 34,000 although in reality this figure is closer to 320,000 individuals; whilst not as a direct result, it is a significant contributing factor in a large number of these deaths.