Increased work demand, lack of physical exercise and wrong eating habits are the trademarks of today's modern societies.
These habits of living are categorized under an umbrella term of inactive lifestyle.
Diabetes is an illness in which fats, carbohydrates and proteins are not metabolized properly because of the secretion of insulin or action of insulin or sometimes both.
There are two types of diabetes

• Diabetes type 1
• Diabetes type 2

The former type sets in early as well as teen years.
However diabetes type 2 onsets gradually with the increasing age.
Obesity, cholesterol and hypertension are main risk factors of this type of diabetes.
Still it is seen that diabetes is an unpredictable disease and could attack any one.
It is important to know about the diabetes symptoms; as this knowledge helps to detect the problem as soon as it starts to set in.
Most people are unable to feel the presence of diabetic symptoms unless it is too late.
There are three classical signs of diabetes, these are

• Unquenchable thirst
• Excessive urination
• Hunger soon after eating

Unquenchable thirst and excessive urination are linked with each other.
Some people think that excessive urination is caused by extreme and unquenchable thirst.
However researches have proved that reverse is true.
Extreme hunger specially soon after eating causes the diabetics to eat plenty of food but the body keep on starving as the cells are unable to metabolize the consumed food and convert it into energy.
There are other common signs of diabetes as well.
These are unexplained and sudden weight loss, fatigue and tired feelings, dry and itchy skin, numbness and tingling sensation in hands and feet.
These signs of diabetes are the result of elevated blood glucose levels.
The normal blood glucose levels are After a fast of 8 to 12 hours 70 - 100 mg/dl 2 hours after meals 140 - 200 mg/dl If the fasting blood sugar level of a person is above 100 but below 126 mg/dl then the said person is characterized as pre-diabetic.
This is a condition in which this chronic illness starts to set its feet.
Now the reader must be thinking what can be done for preventing diabetes.
Luckily the answer is not very complicated.
We just need to do slight modification in our living habits.
Listening carefully the body and a routine examination can help the person to detect the problem as soon as it begins to happen.
It is recommended that a person with genetic disposition must go for diabetes screening test at least twice a year.
Remember diabetes is a life threatening illness.
The right knowledge and early treatment can help to delay or prevent the onset of diabetes.