Diabetes

Diabetes is a long-term condition where you have too much glucose (sugar) in your blood because your body can’t use it properly. This is because your body has a problem making the hormone insulin. Insulin is normally made in your pancreas (a small gland that sits just underneath your stomach) and it helps glucose get in to your body cells where it is used for energy. In diabetes, your pancreas either doesn’t make enough insulin, or the insulin it does make is unable to work properly. Diabetes can’t be cured, but with support and education from your doctor/nurse it shouldn’t stop you enjoying your life to the full.

This website tells you about diabetes, its effects and its treatments. You’ll find practical advice on your medicines and on lifestyle changes that you can make to help keep your diabetes under control, including exercise and diet tips. The site is designed so that you can pick out topics that are of interest to you. So whether your diabetes has only recently been diagnosed and you’re finding out about it for the first time, or whether you’d like to delve deeper into the subject after having the condition for some time, you’ve come to the right place. We also have a section dedicated to providing information specifically for carers of people with diabetes.

In this section, you can learn about the causes and types, signs and symptoms and treatments for diabetes. You can also find out about non-drug treatments for diabetes, including diet and lifestyle changes you can make, as well as how to get the best out of your NHS services, practical support and information for carers.

Hot topics & resources

Quitting smoking - lots of tips to help

Link to full story

Chronic pain and the Pain proposal – have your say

Link to full story

Infection survey

Take our survey

Diabetes

Useful resources