There are two types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. Type 1 is primarily genetic and affects the person from a very young age. Type 2 is mainly caused by excess weight and a lack of activity, with genetic factors playing a role as well.

Diabetes have symptoms that will incease over time until treatment is started. This includes high levels of hunger and thirst (even when you're eating), urinating excessively, slow healing bruises and cuts, severe fatigue and blurry vision.

There's no known cure for diabetes, however studies have shown that in some cases of people with ype 2 diabetes, diet chang and weight loss can help stabilise healthy blood levels without the need for medication, but this should only ever be done with close observation from a doctor.

This is a common misconception as diabetes affects your body's ability to convert food into energy. While sugar does not cause diabetes, an unhealthy diet that leads to weight gain can cause type 2 diabetes in the long term.

If you're displaying symptoms like frquent urination, vision problems, increased hunger and thirst, fatigue or slow healing of wounds, you should speak to your doctor and get tested for diabetes to get a medical diagnosis and treatment plan.

Diabetes changes from person to person, but in most cases, type 1 diabetes can reduce the life expectancy by 10 to 20 years, while type 2 can reduce it by up to 10 years. However maintining treatment and a healthy lifestyle can help to extend your lifespan.

Type 1 diabetes is primarily genetic and occurs when the body cannot produce its own insulin, meaning they're not able to regulate the sugar levels in their blood. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body doesn't respond to insulin properly, and then progresses so that it can't produce insulin fast enough, leading to the same result.

Exercise has shown to be highly effective in managing type 2 diabetes and mitigating the risk of complications like vascular issues, heart failure and other problems. While it has no direct benefit for type 1 diabetes, it does help to prevent issues exacerbating it.

Eating the right food can help to control and manage diabetes, mainly type 2 but also type 1. These include fatty fish like salmon, sardines and anchovies, as well as leafy greens, beans, broccoli, avocado, strawberries, nuts, greek yoghurt and chia and flax seeds.

Diabetes can be very serious if left untreated. If you fail to maintain a healthy lifestyle or develop other health issues, you can fall to a wide range of chronic and life-threatening problems, including heart attack, limb amputation, blindness, stroke, kidney disease, anxiety and depression and heart failure.