Diabetes Overview

Have You Wondered About…

• What does “diabetes” mean?• What is not “in balance”?• How is energy used?• What gives me energy ?• How is energy moved around the body?• Is there a “key”?• What triggers diabetes?• Are there high risk factors?

Define: “Diabetes Mellitus”

• Diabetes= siphon, to flow through (Greek)

• Mellitus= honey or sweet (Latin)

Literal meaning: Sweet Urine! Sugar the body can’t use leaves the body as urine.

History lesson: Doctors used to taste the urine to diagnose diabetes! The honey-sweet urine attracted flies and ants.

The Right Balance

Eating foodleads to sugarin the stomach

Digestionleads to sugarin the blood

Insulin helpstake the sugarfrom the blood

to the cell

The Upset Balance

Eating foodleads to sugar

in the stomach

Digestionleads to sugarin the blood

NO insulin totake the sugar

from the blood

to the cell

*Sugar is lost in urine and

builds up in blood

*No sugar for cells*Body cells “starve”*Wastes build up

Three main problems

• Pooped out pancreas: Not enough insulin• Stubborn tissues: Body cells

do not allow insulin to work• Leaky liver: Liver dumps too

much sugar (glucose) into the blood

Let’s Review!

• Digestion leads to sugar in the _______.

• Insulin is the ____ that allows glucose to enter the cell.

• What are the three main problems in diabetes?Pooped-out _______; Stubborn _______; Leaky _________.

How is energy used?

Body cells need “fuel” for energy• In muscles for movement• In the brain for thinking• In the eye for seeingWhat are some “fuel” sources?What happens if the fuel is not used

for energy?

How is our body like a car?

• What happens if the fuel does not get burned up properly?

• What happens if the car runs out of fuel?

• What happens if there is fuel but no key for the ignition?

• Fuel can’t get into the body cells without a key.

• The key is insulin.

The Blood Transports Fuel

4. Glucose/sugar(fuel) must enter the

cells to be usedfor energy

5. Insulin takes glucose/sugarinto the cells

3. Glucose/sugar (fuel)is carried to the

cells by the blood

2. In the intestines

carbohydrates are turned into

glucose1. Carbohydratesthat are eaten

go to the stomach and intestines

6. Cells use glucoseto do their work

Let’s Review!

• Body cells need a steady supply of ______.

• Our body changes carbohydrates that we eat into a form of sugar called ________.

• Insulin is the ____ that allows glucose to enter the cell.

• True or False? The blood takes the glucose (sugar) to the cells.

• True or False? Some of the sugar is stored in the stomach for later use.

Signs of Diabetes

• Thirsty• Hungry• More urine• Tiredness• Dry mouth

Diabetes Triggers“Why Me?”

• Being overweight• Being older• Accidents, serious illness• Operations• Emotional stress• Medicines like steroids• Pregnancy• Inactivity, lack of physical fitness

High Risk Factors

• Woman with large baby (more than 9 lbs)• Woman with diabetes in pregnancy• Brother or sister with diabetes• Parent with diabetes• Overweight• Little or no exercise• Age 45 or older, 65+• Native American, Hispanic, African or

Asian American

Let’s Review!

• Name 3 signs of diabetes.• True or false: Emotional stress is a

diabetes “trigger.”• True or false: Men have a higher risk

for diabetes than women.• True or false: If you have a parent

with diabetes, you will definitely eventually get it yourself.