D is for Diabetes (the basics)
Diabetes isn't one disease. Type 1, Type 2, and prediabetes are different conditions with different mechanisms, different treatments, and different trajectories. Knowing which one you (or your parent) have is the start of every conversation.
Type 1 is an autoimmune disease. Type 2 is metabolic. Prediabetes is the early version of Type 2 that can often be reversed.
Type 1 diabetes is when the immune system attacks insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. It's usually diagnosed in childhood or young adulthood, but it can show up at any age. People with Type 1 need insulin to live. There is no version of "diet and exercise will fix this."
Type 2 diabetes is the more common form (about 90–95% of all diabetes). The pancreas still makes insulin, but the body's cells become resistant to it, and over time the pancreas can't keep up. Type 2 is strongly linked to weight, activity, age, family history, and ethnicity. It's often manageable with lifestyle changes alone in early stages.
Prediabetes means your blood sugar is higher than normal but not yet diabetic. It's the early window. About a third of Americans have it, and most don't know. Without intervention, about 70% of people with prediabetes will progress to Type 2 within a decade. With intervention — modest weight loss, regular activity, dietary change — that progression can be slowed or reversed.
What this means for you
If you (or your parent) have a diabetes diagnosis, know which type. The next questions you ask depend on it. If you have prediabetes, you have a window. The earlier you act, the bigger the lever.
Which of these applies to you or your family right now? What was the first thing you learned when you got the diagnosis?