"Enhancing the quality of life for persons with diabetes by providing personal education, quality products and individualized service."

What is diabetes?
Our bodies use the food we eat to make the sugar we need for energy. Insulin helps the sugar leave the blood and go into our body cells, where it is used as a kind of fuel. When this happens the way it should, the level of sugar in the blood goes down and our bodies have the energy for a full and active life.

In people with diabetes, this system does not work. When you have diabetes, your body cannot make energy from the food you eat. Sugar stays in the blood instead of going into the cells of the body. Diabetes is a life long disease.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?
The symptoms of type 1 diabetes almost always come on suddenly. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes tend to build up over a long period of time.

What are the types of diabetes?
TYPE 1 DIABETES: In type 1 diabetes, the body makes little or no insulin. People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin shots to live. That is why type 1 diabetes is also called "insulin-dependent diabetes." Less than 10% of people with diabetes have type 1. Although it most often begins when people are young, it may also occur in older adults.

TYPE 2 DIABETES: In type 2 diabetes, the body makes insulin but cannot use the insulin it makes. Type 2 is also called "non-insulin-dependant diabetes" because the people who have it do not have to take insulin shots to stay alive. However, many people with type 2 diabetes should and do take insulin shots. People often find that taking insulin makes them feel much better. Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes. At least 90% of people with diabetes have type 2. Type 2 diabetes is more likely to occur in people who:

Insulin
All people must have insulin People who don't have didiabetesre able to make enough insulin to keep their blood sugar at a normal level. About 40% of people with type 2 diabetes take insulin shots. When buying insulin, check the box and label carefully. Make sure you get the exact kind of insulin your doctor wants you to take. Using the wrong insulin can affect your diabetes control. To buy the right kind of insulin, you need to know the: species (human, beef, pork or analog), brand name (Humulin®, Humalog®, Iletin® II, etc.), type (NPH, Regular, Lente®, etc.), and concentration (U-100 is the most common; U-500 is available by prescription).

Remember, you can't win against diabetes by working alone. Contact your doctor and one of the helpful pharmacists at Village Apothecary for individual analysis and treatment.