But even though it's one of our most devastating diseases, and many people have heard about it, not many really know what it is. What Diabetes Means to You Millions of peoples have diabetes in this country. So what were the ancient Greeks doing tasting urine. They used it as a mouthwash, to prevent the formation of cavities. "Diabetes" is the Greek word for siphon. The word "mellitus" is a Greek word that means sweet.

The name diabetes mellitus has an interesting origin. Remember, this was before the name brand mouthwashes that are so popular today. They further noticed that the urine in these people tasted sweet. Diabetes does not suddenly appear. Hence the phrase "diabetes mellitus" or sweet flavored siphoned liquid. To test for pre-diabetes, you need to find the blood glucose levels in your bloodstream.

At some point the Ancient Greeks discovered that when certain people drank a lot, the liquids almost immediately left their body in the form of urine - as though it were siphoned from their body. Before diabetes is diagnosed, the body has already begun to manifest changes and symptoms.

Collectively these symptoms are often referred to as pre-diabetes.