The management of diabetes is progressively evolving. The latest medical and technological advances-including ones involving the Internet-have begun providing the 18.2 million Americans affected by this disease with the kind of freedom few dreamed of not all that long ago. Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body doesn’t produce or properly use insulin, a hormone needed to convert glucose into energy. >>Learn more about diabetes freedom here<<

Since over time the high blood sugar levels associated with diabetes-the nation’s fifth-leading cause of death by disease-can lead to complications of the eyes, blood vessels, nerves, kidneys and other organs, anything that would ease the typical daily regimen of insulin injections and the like would be most welcome by patients. According to experts, that “simplification” is exactly what’s happening. The Food & Drug Administration, for example, is in the process of approving both insulin patches and inhalants as alternative delivery methods to insulin injections. Breakthroughs in blood glucose monitoring that would allow continuous testing throughout the day are currently in development. And then there’s the Internet. Unlike in the past, the latest advances, treatment and disease management recommendations are now available on the Web sites of the American Diabetes Association, the American Association of Diabetes Educators, and countless others.

Beyond that, people with diabetes are being helped in managing their disease through the convenient online ordering of necessary diabetic supplies, pharmaceuticals and equipment. Members also receive special discounts when ordering online and can contact the company’s pharmacy with questions about their medication. A Web site now offers all the medical supplies and medication needed to manage diabetes.