November is Diabetes Awareness Month and November 14 specifically is World Diabetes Day.

The body takes all of the sugars and starches from the foods you and turns it into glucose, the fuel of the cells. Insulin takes the glucose out of the bloodstream and put it into the cells. Without insulin, glucose will build up in the bloodstream and can lead to diabetes.
Symptoms of diabetes include but are not limited to excessive thirst/hunger, increased urination, unusual weight loss/gain, blurred vision, and fatigue.
There are three types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2, and Gestational Diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes is caused by the body's inability to produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that converts sugar and other foods into energy. Children and young adults are usually diagnosed with this type of diabetes. Injections of insulin are used to help regulate a healthy level of blood sugar.

Type 2 diabetes, the most common of the three, is caused by the body not producing enough insulin or the cells ignoring the insulin. Those at high risk to develop this type are the obese or overweight and elderly. It can be controlled with medication, a healthy diet, and exercise.

Gestational diabetes occurs only in pregnant women and is usually diagnosed in the third trimester. In pregnancy nutrients are shifted from the mother to the developing fetus by increased levels of some hormones created in the placenta. To help prevent the mother developing low blood sugar the placenta produces other hormones. These hormones can actually lead to high blood sugar over time and thus the body will compensate by producing more insulin. However, if the mother's body is unable to maintain the proper amount of insulin needed this type of diabetes will develop.

If you have any Literary or Visual works to support Diabetes Awareness, you are welcome to submit them to Community Projects > Awareness > 2009 > Diabetes Awareness.