Diabetes: Can You Beat It?

While diabetes is not actually a form of heart disease, it often contributes to heart disease. Diabetes occurs when a body is unable to produce or respond properly to insulin which is needed to regulate glucose (sugar). Besides contributing to heart disease, diabetes also increases the risks of developing kidney disease, blindness, nerve damage, and blood vessel damage. More than 80 percent of people with diabetes die from some form of heart or blood vessel disease.

CLICK to enlarge: Shown above is a woman using a blood glucose monitor and a needle used for injecting insulin.

There are two forms of diabetes: juvenile diabetes and adult-onset diabetes. Adult-onset diabetes is associated with obesity and can be delayed or controlled with proper diet and exercise.

There is no cure for diabetes. However, diabetes can be controlled through changing eating habits and exercise programs. Drugs are also available. However, even if diabetes is under control, it still contributes to heart disease.