In healthy normal individuals, the food consumed will be broken down to glucose. Glucose is the source of energy needed by the body cells to perform growth, repair, movement and other bodily functions. But before glucose can be used as fuel by the cells, it has to enter the bloodstream. Insulin is needed to accomplish this function.

Healthy people with normally functioning pancreas will produce the right amount of insulin needed to move glucose into the cells. People with Type 1 diabetes can not produce insulin. This kind of diabetes is considered to be an autoimmune disease. The body's immune systems attacks and permanently destroys the insulin producing beta cells. Since the pancreas can no longer produce insulin, sugar in the blood can no longer be transported to the cells therefore resulting to high sugar levels. Ultimately, this sugar build up will have detrimental effects to the blood vessels as well as to the other organs of the body.

Type 1 diabetes is also known as juvenile diabetes as oftentimes this type of diabetes is diagnosed in children. Being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes is scary as this disease can not be totally cured, it can only be controlled. This would mean a life time dependence on insulin injections. Four or more readings have to be made every day to carefully monitor the blood sugar levels. Depending on the readings, the right amount of insulin has to be injected to counteract the effects of diabetes.

Type 1diabetes is a serious disease as this increases the risk of contacting heart diseases, kidney failures, nerve damage, vision disorders and a host of other life threatening disorders. However, this is not a reason to lose hope as a person diagnosed with this type of diabetes can still live a long normal life with proper medical management.