Take Charge of Your Diabetes

A1C—A
test that sums up how much glucose has been sticking to part of the hemoglobin
during the past 3–4 months. Hemoglobin is a substance in the red
blood cells that supplies oxygen to the cells of the body.

ACE
inhibitor—A type of drug used to lower blood pressure. Studies
indicate that it may also help prevent or slow the progression of kidney
disease in people with diabetes. ACE is an acronym for angiotensin-converting
enzyme.

Autoimmune
process—A process where the body’s immune system attacks
and destroys body tissue that it mistakes for foreign matter.

beta
cells—Cells that make insulin. Beta cells are found in areas
of the pancreas called the Islets of Langerhans.

bladder—A
hollow organ that urine drains into from the kidneys. From the bladder,
urine leaves the body.

blood
glucose—The main sugar that the body makes from the food
we eat. Glucose is carried through the bloodstream to provide energy to
all of the body’s living cells. The cells cannot use glucose without
the help of insulin.

blood
pressure—The force of the blood against the artery
walls. Two levels of blood pressure are measured:
the highest, or systolic, occurs when the heart pumps blood into the blood
vessels, and the lowest, or diastolic, occurs when the heart rests.

blood
sugar—See blood glucose.

calluses—Thick,
hardened areas of the skin, generally on the foot, caused by friction
or pressure. Calluses can lead to other problems, including serious infection
and even gangrene.

carbohydrate—One
of three main groups of foods in the diet that provide calories and energy.
(Protein and fat are the others.) Carbohydrates are mainly sugars (simple
carbohydrates) and starches (complex carbohydrates, found in bread, pasta,
beans) that the body breaks down into glucose.

cholesterol—A
substance similar to fat that is found in the blood, muscles, liver, brain,
and other body tissues. The body produces and needs some cholesterol.
However, too much cholesterol can make fats stick to the walls of the
arteries and cause a disease that decreases or stops circulation.

corns—A
thickening of the skin of the feet or hands, usually caused by pressure
against the skin.

diabetes—The
short name for the disease called diabetes mellitus. Diabetes results
when the body cannot use blood glucose as energy because of having too
little insulin or being unable to use insulin. See also type 1 diabetes,
type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.

diabetes
pills—Pills or capsules that are taken by mouth to help lower
the blood glucose level. These pills may work for people whose bodies
are still making insulin.

diabetic
eye disease—A disease of the small blood vessels of the retina
of the eye in people with diabetes. In this disease, the vessels swell
and leak liquid into the retina, blurring the vision and sometimes leading
to blindness.

diabetic
ketoacidosis—High blood glucose with the presence of ketones
in the urine and bloodstream, often caused by taking too little insulin
or during illness.

diabetic
kidney disease—Damage to the cells or blood vessels of the
kidney.

diabetic
nerve damage—Damage to the nerves of a person with diabetes.
Nerve damage may affect the feet and hands, as well as major organs.

dialysis—A
method for removing waste from the blood when the kidneys can no longer
do the job.

diphtheria—An
acute, contagious disease that causes fever and problems for the heart
and nervous system.

EKG—A
test that measures the heart’s action. Also called an electrocardiogram.

flu—An
infection caused by the “flu” (short for “influenza”)
virus. The flu is a contagious viral illness that strikes quickly and
severely. Signs include high fever, chills, body aches, runny nose, sore
throat, and headache.

food
exchanges—A way to help people stay on special food plans
by letting them replace items from one food group with items from another
group.

gestational
diabetes—A type of diabetes that can occur in pregnant women
who have not been known to have diabetes before. Although gestational
diabetes usually subsides after pregnancy, many women who’ve had
gestational diabetes develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

gingivitis—A
swelling and soreness of the gums that, without treatment, can cause serious
gum problems and disease.

glucagon—A
hormone that raises the blood glucose level. When someone with diabetes
has a very low blood glucose level, a glucagon injection can help raise
the blood glucose quickly.

glucose—A
sugar in our blood and a source of energy for our bodies.

heart
attack—Damage to the heart muscle caused when the blood vessels
supplying the muscle are blocked, such as when the blood vessels are clogged
with fats (a condition sometimes called hardening of the arteries).

HDL (or high-density lipoprotein)—A combined protein and fatlike
substance. Low in cholesterol, it usually passes freely through the arteries.
Sometimes called “good cholesterol.”

high
blood glucose—A condition that occurs in people with diabetes
when their blood glucose levels are too high. Symptoms include having
to urinate often, being very thirsty, and losing weight.

high
blood pressure—A condition where the blood circulates through
the arteries with too much force. High blood pressure tires the heart,
harms the arteries, and increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and
kidney problems.

hormone—A
chemical that special cells in the body release to help other cells work.
For example, insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas to help the body
use glucose as energy.

hyperglycemia—See
high blood glucose.

hypertension—See
high blood pressure.

hypoglycemia—See
low blood glucose.

immunization—Sometimes
called vaccination; a shot or injection that protects a person from getting
an illness by making the person "immune" to it.

impotence—A
condition where the penis does not become or stay hard enough for sex.
Some men who have had diabetes a long time become impotent if their nerves
or blood vessels have become damaged.

influenza—See
flu.

inject—To
force a liquid into the body with a needle and syringe.

insulin—A
hormone that helps the body use blood glucose for energy. The beta cells
of the pancreas make insulin. When people with diabetes can’t make
enough insulin, they may have to inject it from another source.

insulin-dependent
diabetes—See type 1 diabetes.

ketones—Chemical
substances that the body makes when it doesn’t have enough insulin
in the blood. When ketones build up in the body for a long time, serious
illness or coma can result.

kidneys—Twin
organs found in the lower part of the back. The kidneys purify the blood
of all waste and harmful material. They also control the level of some
helpful chemical substances in the blood.

laser
surgery—Surgery that uses a strong ray of special light,
called a laser, to treat damaged parts of the body. Laser surgery can
help treat some diabetic eye diseases.

low
blood glucose—A condition that occurs in people with diabetes
when their blood glucose levels are too low. Symptoms include feeling
anxious or confused, feeling numb in the arms and hands, and shaking or
feeling dizzy.

LDL
(or low-density lipoprotein)—A combined protein and
fatlike substance. Rich in cholesterol, it tends to stick to the walls
in the arteries. Sometimes called “bad cholesterol.”

meal
plan—A guide to help people get the proper amount of calories,
carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in their diet. See also food exchanges.

microalbumin—A
protein found in blood plasma and urine. The presence of microalbumin
in the urine can be a sign of kidney disease.

nephropathy—See
diabetic kidney disease.

neuropathy—See
diabetic nerve damage.

non-insulin-dependent
diabetes—See type 2 diabetes.

pancreas—An
organ in the body that makes insulin so that the body can use glucose
for energy. The pancreas also makes enzymes that help the body digest
food.

periodontitis—A
gum disease in which the gums shrink away from the teeth. Without treatment,
it can lead to tooth loss.

plaque—A
film of mucus that traps bacteria on the surface of the teeth. Plaque
can be removed with daily brushing and flossing of teeth.

pumice
stone—A special foot care tool used to gently file calluses as
instructed by your health care team.

retinopathy—See
diabetic eye disease.

risk
factors—Traits that make it more likely that a person will
get an illness. For example, a risk factor for getting type 2 diabetes
is having a family history of diabetes.

self-monitoring
blood glucose—A way for people with diabetes to find out
how much glucose is in their blood. A drop of blood from the fingertip
is placed on a special coated strip of paper that “reads” (often
through an electronic meter) the amount of glucose in the blood.

stroke—Damage
to a part of the brain that happens when the blood vessels supplying that
part are blocked, such as when the blood vessels are clogged with fats
(a condition sometimes called hardening of the arteries).

support
group—A group of people who share a similar problem or concern.
The people in the group help one another by sharing experiences, knowledge,
and information.

type
1 diabetes—A condition in which the pancreas makes so little
insulin that the body can’t use blood glucose as energy. Type 1 diabetes
most often occurs in people younger than age 30 and must be controlled
with daily insulin injections.

type
2 diabetes—A condition in which the body either makes too
little insulin or can’t use the insulin it makes to use blood glucose
as energy. Type 2 diabetes most often occurs in people older than age
40 and can often be controlled through meal plans and physical activity
plans. Some people with type 2 diabetes have to take diabetes pills or
insulin.

ulcer—A
break or deep sore in the skin. Germs can enter an ulcer and may be hard
to heal.

urea—One
of the chief waste products of the body. When the body breaks down food,
it uses what it needs and throws the rest away as waste. The kidneys flush
the waste from the body in the form of urea, which is in the urine.

vaccination—A
shot given to protect against a disease.

vagina—A
canal in females from the external genitalia (vulva) to the cervix of
the uterus.

vitrectomy—An
operation to remove the blood that sometimes collects at the back of the
eyes when a person has eye disease.

yeast
infection—A vaginal infection that is usually caused by a
fungus. Women who have this infection may feel itching, burning when urinating,
and pain, and some women have a vaginal discharge. Yeast infections occur
more frequently in women with diabetes.