Our bodies require insulin to help get glucose into our cells for energy. When you have diabetes, your body is either not producing enough insulin to feed your cells or cells are resisting the insulin. When this happens, the level of glucose rises in the blood, leading to a variety of dangerous consequences.
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. That’s why people with Type 1 diabetes take insulin shots or use an insulin pump.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when your cells begin to resist the insulin your pancreas produces. Healthy eating, physical activity and regular blood glucose testing are the main therapies for Type 2 diabetes.
Untreated, high blood glucose can cause nerve damage, kidney or eye problems, heart disease and stroke, so it’s important to talk to your doctor about whether you should be actively checking your blood glucose levels.
The key to successfully managing diabetes is to control blood sugar while getting the right amount of nutrients. And that starts with a healthy diet. Each of the 514 recipes in this book has been analyzed to offer you Nutrition Facts and Diabetic Exchanges, so you can choose the best recipes for you and your family.