With proper diet,exercise and a healthy stressfree ( relatively) life one can easily overcome the disease even if it is there in the family.One of my aunt was highly diabetic and had to take insulin injections.But she was determined to overcome it and it has paid off since she is only on tablets now and looks and feels much healthier ..

Present eating habit is responsible for sugar problem. Indeed we are not doing enough physical work.

Apart from that genetic also plays a big role. Sometimes people keep avoiding sugar , have good work out habits but still they are prone to diabetes because of their genes and the traits of diabetes in parents.

I forgot to mention this point in my earlier response. I have a couple of relatives who are diabetic and are in their middle age. Their kids, unfortunately have caught up with this disease as well.
And I would like to ask, my mother and father-in-law are diabetic, will my wife be the same and our kids??

Your wife has a very high chance of getting diabetes since both her parents have it. But if she maintains a very healthy with regular exercise, sensible eating habits then she can keep diabetes at bay. Where your children are concerned, they may or may not get depending on whose genes are dominant, yours or your wife's! So it is better to inculcate healthy eating and exercise habits from early on itself!

Do four things every day to take care of your diabetes:
1-Follow your meal plan.
2- Be physically active.
3- Take your diabetes medicines every day.
4- Check your blood glucose as recommended.
You can keep it away up to some extent only but some people suffer it due to reasons beyond their control.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is the number 3 killer of people in America today, it causes blindness of all kinds, kidney failure, kidney transplant, cardiovascular disease, amputation of toe, feet and legs.
There are 16 million people in America with Adult Onset Type 2 Diabetes. The fastest growing age group with adult onset type 2 diabetes are kids under the age of 12. It used to be only found in people 45 to 50 years of age and above. You could almost diagnose it by the age of onset. You can't do that any more, because more and more kids under the age of 12 are developing adult onset type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body is unable to produce or use insulin properly. When this occurs, glucose remains in the bloodstream rather than being absorbed by cells and used for energy. Glucose levels in the blood can then rise dangerously high (hyperglycemia) and, over time, cause damage to major organs and systems in the body such as the kidneys and eyes, and nerves and blood vessels.


Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is referred to as an immune mediated or auto (self) immune disease. It is also called juvenile diabetes because it affects mainly children and adolescents. However, adults can also develop it. Individuals with Type 1 diabetes must take injections of insulin every day to stay alive.

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the islet cells in the pancreas are damaged and no longer produce insulin. This happens when the immune system in the body, for reasons that are not clearly understood, attacks its own cells. It affects approximately 5-10 percent of people with diabetes. A rare form called Idiopathic Type 1 diabetes also exists and has no known cause.




Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is referred to as adult onset diabetes. It occurs when the production of insulin is not sufficient to overcome a difficulty the body has in properly using insulin. This difficulty is called insulin resistance. It is a hereditary disorder.

Type 2 diabetes is treated with diet, exercise and, if necessary, medications. It accounts for 90-95 percent of all cases of diabetes and the incidence is rising rapidly, even in children.

Other Causes of Diabetes





Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes occurs in about 2-5 percent of women during pregnancy — or about 135,000 women annually — usually after the 20th week. The condition is caused from pregnancy hormones that lead to insulin resistance. In some women, whose insulin production is not sufficient to overcome the resistance, glucose levels rise.

The condition poses risks to the developing fetus as the mother's blood, with its high levels of glucose and insulin, circulates throughout its system. Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes can be overweight over nine pounds because high blood glucose and insulin levels cause them to gain weight. The extra weight can put the baby at risk for obesity and for developing diabetes later in life. In addition, because the baby's body has become accustomed to extra blood glucose and insulin, its blood sugar can drop too low after birth.

In the majority of cases, gestational diabetes disappears when the pregnancy ends. But as many as 40 percent of these women will eventually develop Type 2 diabetes. In some cases, the pregnancy unveils underlying diabetes that the woman was not aware of.

Diabetes caused from other factors

Diabetes may also occur from other factors such as injury to or disease of the pancreas, medications (such as steroids), surgery, infections and malnutrition. These cases account for 1-2 percent of all cases of diabetes.

Signs and Symptoms:



Type 1 diabetes

Unusual thirst

Frequent urination

Extreme hunger

Unusual weight loss

Extreme fatigue

Unexplained nausea and vomiting



Type 2 diabetes



Any of the Type 1 symptoms except unexplained nausea and vomiting

Blurred vision

Cuts/bruises that take time to heal

Tingling/numbness in the hands or feet

Recurring skin, gum or bladder infections

There also may be no symptoms

All these symotoms are there when the level of blood sugar rises, it can be controlled through proper medication and good balanced food and exercise. These three are the lifelines to control diabetes.