human
I've recently been diagnosed with diabetes. What should I know about it?
assistant
Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or cannot use the insulin it produces properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body use glucose (sugar) for energy. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not make any insulin at all. In type 2 diabetes, the body still makes some insulin but it is not used properly by the body's cells. This causes blood sugar levels to become too high and can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, and nerve damage.