Think of your body as a car and the food you eat as fuel. If you have diabetes, your body loses its ability to use fuel. Untreated, diabetes leaves your cells starved for energy and, over time, can affect your heart, eyes, kidneys or nerves.

Nearly 1 million American women have Type 1 diabetes; their bodies are unable to produce insulin, the hormone needed to convert the sugars in food to energy and deliver it to the cells. More than 8 million women have Type 2 diabetes, where their bodies can't make enough insulin and don't properly use the insulin they do produce, so glucose builds up in the blood rather than fueling their bodies.

Talk to your doctor about your risk for diabetes if one or more of the following are true:

• You have a parent, brother, or sister with diabetes.
• Your family background is African American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic American/Latino.
• You have had gestational diabetes or given birth to at least one baby weighing more than nine pounds.
• Your blood pressure is 140/90 or higher.
• Your HDL cholesterol is 40 or lower, or triglyceride level is 130 or higher.

Prediabetes holds more risk for women

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) estimates that 21 percent of Americans ages 40 to 74 have prediabetes: their blood glucose levels are elevated, but not as high as in diabetes. Prediabetes can lead to long-term heart and circulatory system damage, and the risk for cardiovascular disease is more serious for women than men.

A healthy lifestyle, however, can stop prediabetes in its tracks and also help people who have diabetes live well while managing their condition. The ADA recommends the following:

• Eat foods low in fat, salt, and sugar, and high in fiber.
• To help stabilize insulin levels, eat about the same number of calories each day and don't skip meals.
• Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days to reduce risk of heart disease and diabetes-related complications. Yoga also helps control blood sugar. And remember - check with your physician before starting any exercise regimen.
• Don't smoke; it leads to heart disease and poor circulation, serious risks for diabetics.