Diabetes is one of the oldest known human diseases. Its full name diabetes mellitus comes from the Greek words for syphon and sugar and describes the most obvious symptom of uncontrolled diabetes: the passing of large amounts of urine which is sweet because it contains sugar (glucose). Millions of people in this country have diabetes and most lead normal, active lives. With advances in our understanding of the disease and improvements in treatment, the prospects for someone with diabetes are better than ever before. This book is meant to help the reader understand what diabetes is and how to control it. Doctors nowadays encourage people with diabetes to take a lot of responsibility for their own health, paying careful attention to their diet and carrying out regular tests on their blood and urine to monitor their progress. The book explains, step by step, how this can be done and allows the reader to develop the confidence that they really are in control of their diabetes.