Finding out you have diabetes is scary. Diabetes can be serious, but people with diabetes (especially with Type 1 diabetes) can live long, healthy, happy lives. So don’t panic.

The American Diabetes Association reports that 21 million American people, (that’s about 7 percent of the population), have diabetes. More than 90 percent of these have type 2 diabetes, a combination of relative insulin deficiency and insulin resistance, a condition where the body fails to properly use insulin, according to the ADA.

Insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas, is essential for converting sugar, starches, and other food into energy that the body draws upon for daily life.

While diabetes occurs in people of all ages and races, some groups have a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes than others. Type 2 diabetes is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, as well as the aged population.

If you go to the American Diabetes Association website you will find answers to many of your questions. Here is a summery of some of their information.

Conditions & Treatment
Arm yourself with information about conditions associated with diabetes, and how to prevent them. Conditions associated with both type 1 and type 2diabetes include hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, ketoacidosis and celiac disease.

Complications
Having diabetes increases your risk for many serious complications. Some complications of diabetes include: heart disease (cardiovascular disease), blindness (retinopathy), nerve damage (neuropathy), and kidney damage (nephropathy). Learn more about these complications and how to cope with them.

Recently Diagnosed
If you’ve just been diagnosed with diabetes, chances are you have a million questions running through your head. To help you answer those questions, and take the first steps toward better diabetes care, go to the American Diabetes Association website and check the Recently Diagnosed area for people who have just been diagnosed with diabetes, or those needing basic information.

Your Body’s Well Being
Make it a priority to take good care of your body. The time you spend now on eye care, foot care and skin care, as well as your heart health and oral health, could delay or prevent the onset of dangerous diabetes complications later in life. Plus, some of the best things you can do for your body are to stop smoking, and reduce the amount of alcohol you drink.

Common Concerns
This section addresses various areas to help you live with type 1 diabetes. What do you do when you’re sick? What do you do when you travel? Can you get a flu shot with diabetes? How do you cope with having diabetes? Are you being discriminated against because you have diabetes? You’ll find answers to these questions, and more in this section.

Ask the Pharmacist
The American Diabetes Association and Rite Aid “Ask the Pharmacist” area is where you can ask a pharmacist a question to help you manage your diabetes. Rite Aid and the ADA have partnered to allow you to access to Rite Aid’s Drug Information Center from our Web site.

Women and Diabetes
Learn how to ensure your own health and well-being.
Health Information For Men
Learn how to ensure your own health and well-being.

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