What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a medical condition that causes high blood sugar.
What causes diabetes?
It is caused by a lack of, or a low level of a hormone called insulin. It can also be caused by an inability of the body to respond to insulin.
What is insulin?
It’s a hormone that is meant to regulate the sugar in our bodies. It helps the sugar get into the cells where it is needed to generate energy.
Common sources of sugar/glucose
Carbohydrates are broken down in our bodies into sugar/glucose.
Avoiding sugar in your tea is NOT the only way to avoid sugar.
Many foods that we eat can be sources of sugar.
Reducing carbohydrate intake will help to lower blood sugar levels
Why know about diabetes?
It is one of the leading causes of kidney failure and dialysis in Kenya.
It is also a leading cause of blindness in Kenya.