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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.
Diabetes & Prevention
Florida Department of Health in St. Johns County
- 904-506-6081
- StJohnsFeedback@FLhealth.gov
-
Fax
904-825-6875 -
Mailing Address
200 San Sebastian View
St. Augustine, FL 32084
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a life-long disease that affects the way your body handles glucose, a kind of sugar, in your blood. Your body changes most of the food you eat into glucose, which your body uses for energy. Your blood takes the glucose to the cells throughout your body. Your blood always has some glucose in it. But too much glucose in the blood is not good for your health. Diabetes means that your blood glucose (sugar) is too high.
The glucose from food needs insulin to get into the body's cells. Insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas, an organ near the stomach. The pancreas releases insulin into the blood. If your body does not make enough insulin or the cells do not respond to insulin as much as they should, the glucose can't get into the cells, so it stays in the blood. This makes your blood glucose level high, causing you to have diabetes.
There are four types of diabetes described below. Click on the links to learn more.
| Prediabetes |
| Type 2 Diabetes |
| Type 1 Diabetes |
| Gestational Diabetes |
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