This week is Diabetes Awareness Week.
Do you have diabetes or know someone who does? In all likelihood you do, as it is estimated that 3.5 million people in the UK have diagnosed diabetes, with a further 1/2 million undiagnosed. Of these, about 1 in 10 have Type 1 diabetes, where the pancreas has been attacked by the immune system and has stopped producing insulin, while the remainder mostly have Type 2 diabetes, where the body has lost the ability to utilise insulin properly, usually related to being overweight or getting older.
Find out more about Diabetes Week here.
If you think you may have diabetes then please visit your GP or see a Practice Nurse. The sooner you have it diagnosed the less likely you are to have complications and you can learn to control your blood sugar levels and lead a long and happy life.