Diabetes complications can manifest in nearly any part of your body and lead to many health problems, poor quality of life and a shortened life span. To understand this we need to take a look at the role of glucose and the role of insulin in the body. Glucose is the fuel of the trillions of cells that keep your body thriving and healthy. Insulin has many different roles:

- Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas in response to elevated blood sugar (glucose)

- It is important that an individual’s blood sugar levels do not rise or fall too quickly

- High blood sugar alerts the pancreas. The pancreas then detects the excess glucose and tells the hormone insulin, the messenger, to lower the elevated blood sugar by shifting the metabolism into storage mode.

- It converts the excess the excess blood sugar (glucose) into glycogen, removes it from the blood stream and stores it in the liver and muscles.

- The excess blood sugar that cannot be stored as glycogen will be converted to new fat and stored in the butt, hips, back and stomach areas of the body.

- Insulin commands the body to save food energy stored in fat cells for a time when no food is available.

Together, insulin and glucose work to keep all of your body’s systems and organs working properly. This is why diabetes can affect so many areas of the body causing a person such difficulties enjoying life.

When this delicate balance is not working well is when people begin to develop diabetes. In type 1 the insulin is simply not available. In people with type 2 the body makes it but usually there isn’t enough or the cells are resistant to it.

These are many of the diabetes complications that can be associated with blood sugar problems if they are left uncontrolled. Some of these you may already know about and others may show you a new relationship to diabetes and the importance of blood sugar control. Please understand that with new research and medical advances new health problems are being linked to diabetes and blood sugar levels each year so this list may change from time to time.

Alzheimer’s disease and memory problems

Cancer tumors

Diabetes Neuropathy (3 different types which include peripheral, autonomic and focal neuropathy)

Diabetes Ketoacidosis (commonly affects type 1 diabetes)

Eye Diseases (Diabetic retinopathy, cataract, and glaucoma)

Gum Disease (Gingivitis and Periodontitis)

Heart Disease (which is almost always established before diabetes is diagnosed)

Hyperglycemia (AKA High blood sugar levels)

Hypoglycemia (AKA Low blood sugar levels)

Kidney Disease (AKA Diabetic Nephropathy)

There are many ways to protect yourself from developing diabetes or any of these conditions related to this disease. Some of them are exercise on a regular basis, eating a healthy balanced diet, balancing your body’s pH levels, natural supplements to fill in the nutritional gaps and diabetes medications.

Sleep and Diabetes