Our body uses the nutrients from digested food for growth and energy. In certain cases, this metabolism doesn’t function effectively, which results in diabetes. Today, diabetes is a threat to the whole world, and one of the key factors that make most of us susceptible to this metabolic disorder is our lifestyle. The pancreas releases insulin to enable the body to store sugar and fat from the food that we consume, but the pancreas may not function effectively sometimes. Diabetes is a result of the following reasons:

• The pancreas not producing insulin at all or producing very little insulin
• The body not responding efficiently to insulin, a condition that is referred to as insulin resistance

According to a study, about 18.2 million people in the country are affected by diabetes, and nearly one-third of this lot is completely unaware of the fact that they are diabetic. More than being a diabetic, there is a segment called pre-diabetes, where the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin slowly deteriorates, and the individual is prone to be diabetic soon. The number of people at this stage is estimated to be another 41 million. There is absolutely no cure for diabetes, and one can only manage it at best.

Why is insulin important to our body?
Our body is made up of millions of cells, and these cells need food in order to stay energetic and perform bodily functions. When we consume food or beverages, it is broken to simple forms of sugar called “glucose.” This glucose, in turn, is transported through the bloodstream to each and every cell of the body. The amount of glucose available in the bloodstream is regulated by the hormone called insulin, and the pancreas, which produces insulin, releases it in small quantities.

When the level of glucose in the blood rises beyond a certain level, the pancreas releases insulin so that the glucose can be pushed to the cells. This process causes the glucose levels in the blood to drop. In order to prevent hypoglycemia or low blood sugar levels, our body signals us when to eat and releases glucose from the liver, where it is stored, more so as a lender of last resort.

When an individual is affected by diabetes, the body either does not make enough insulin or the cells in the body are resistant to insulin, resulting in high levels of sugar that circulates in the blood. This is commonly referred to as high blood sugar. The universally accepted normal levels of blood glucose level are 126 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) on an empty stomach (overnight fast).

Your doctor might prescribe you a medication of insulin that needs to be injected. It is used to control high sugar in those who have type 1 diabetes (where the body does not make insulin at all) and also for those who have type 2 diabetes (where the body does not produce insulin normally, that is, it is either too less in quantity or not at regular intervals). The key to efficient management of diabetes is to follow your medication meticulously. If insulin is prescribed as a medication, it should be injected at the right time.