Diabetes Week 2021

Bluebird Care is supporting Diabetes Week 2021

Diabetes awareness week 2021 is the 14-20 June, run by the charity Diabetes UK. They support those living with diabetes with education, helplines, support groups and much more.

According to Diabetes UK there are 4.5 million people living with Diabetes in the UK, in fact 700 people are diagnosed each day, this works out at one person every 2 minutes. Of those with diabetes, Diabetes UK estimates that 90% have Type 2 diabetes.

What is Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Blood glucose is your main source of energy and comes from the food you eat. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose from food get into your cells to be used for energy. Sometimes your body does’t make enough—or any—insulin or does’t use insulin well. Glucose then stays in your blood and does’t reach your cells

There are 2 main types of diabetes:

type 1 diabetes – where the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin

type 2 diabetes – where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body's cells do not react to insulin.

Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1. In the UK, around 90% of all adults with diabetes have type 2.

Pre-diabetes

Many more people have blood sugar levels above the normal range, but not high enough to be diagnosed as having diabetes.

This is sometimes known as pre-diabetes. If your blood sugar level is above the normal range, your risk of developing full-blown diabetes is increased.

It's very important for diabetes to be diagnosed as early as possible because it will get progressively worse if left untreated.

The above information has been provided by Diabetes.org for more information on Diabetes or Diabetes Week, please visit www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-week 

Diabetes UK has more information on treating diabetes with insulin.