Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is attributed to over 90 percent of all cases in America. Individuals with the disease generally develop the condition during their middle 40s. The risk of getting the disease does increase with age. Roughly 20 percent of population over the age of 65 as diabetes. Even more alarming is the fact that an increasing number of children are developing type 2 diabetes as obesity rates are on the rise.

Carbohydrates are broken down by the body in the form of a simple sugar called glucose. This sugar is a critical aspect of a cell's survival. Glucose enters the blood stream through the small intestine and delievered to every cell in the human body. In order for a cell to properly consume glucose, a hormone known as insulin must also be present. Insulin is produced by the pancreas and allows glucose to pass into the cells.

Type 2 diabetes prevents insulin from interacting with the body's cells. Additionally, the pancreas produces too little insulin. Because of the lower levels of insulin, an excess build up of glucose exists in the blood stream and eventually in urine. Excess amounts of glucose have been associated with health problems such as heart disease.