Diabetes
Definition
Diabetes is a chronic disease where there are high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood due to either insufficient production or ineffective use of insulin.
Analogy
Consider diabetes like having a broken lock on your front door. Insulin acts like a key to let glucose enter cells. In diabetes, either there aren't enough keys (insulin deficiency) or the locks are jammed (insulin resistance), so glucose can't get in and builds up in your bloodstream.
Related terms
Type 1 Diabetes: An autoimmune condition where the body's immune system destroys insulin-producing cells, leading to insulin deficiency.
Type 2 Diabetes: A metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar, insulin resistance, and relative lack of insulin.
Insulin Resistance: A condition where cells in the body don't respond properly to insulin and can't easily take up glucose from the blood.
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