The Complete Guide to Living with Diabetes

Diabetes is a long-term medical condition marked by high blood glucose levels and abnormal protein and fat metabolism. When the pancreas is unable to create enough insulin or the cells are unable to use the insulin that is produced efficiently, blood glucose levels rise because the glucose cannot be digested in the cells.Diabetes has been known since ancient times, when Egyptian healers described its symptoms of excessive urination (polyuria) and weight loss. The name itself, diabetes mellitus (OM), was first used by the Greek physician Aretaeus. Diabetes means "to pass through" in Greek, whereas mellitus is a Latin word that means "honey" and refers to sweetness. With almost one death every ten seconds, diabetes is a major cause of chronic illness and early mortality, taking more lives annually than HIV/AIDS.