Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that affects millions of people every year. It is caused because the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or fails to use the insulin that it does have effectively.
The good news is that it is treatable and prevented or delayed by diet, exercise and medications. It’s also crucial to be aware of symptoms to know whether something is wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long-lasting) that affects the way your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, or fails to use it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body absorb and use glucose, also referred to as sugar. People with type 2 diabetes don’t make enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to make it in a proper way.
The blood sugar levels rise as time passes in both types of diabetes. This can cause problems with your feet, eyes and kidneys. It can also damage the coronary arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks pancreatic insulin-producing cells and destroys them. This process can take many years or months before eventually resulting in the complete absence of insulin.
Insulin is required by people with type 1 diabetes all day. They also have to keep track of their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activity levels to keep their blood sugar in the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body doesn’t utilize insulin in the way it should. Insulin is a hormone that aids your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells where it is utilized to generate energy.
Type 2 diabetics have to exercise and eat a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to regulate their blood glucose levels.
Signs of women having diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races, ethnicities and genders. However women are at higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes have a greater likelihood of developing complications than men, such as heart disease (the most commonly reported diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
One of the first signs of women with diabetes is a rise in thirst and the frequency of urination, which is known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excess sugar to build up in the blood, and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to eliminate it correctly.
Diabetes in men Men: Symptoms
In diabetes the cells are unable make use of blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This usually happens because the pancreas produces insufficient insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. Your body then tries to lower the level by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and need to drink plenty of fluids.
Men can also experience weight loss as their bodies break down muscle for energy, instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar level remains high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is a crucial aspect of managing your diabetes. It can help manage blood sugar levels control weight and reduce the risk factors for heart diseases.
You should include whole food items in your diet, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products such as beans, legumes, and beans are a good choice. It should be low in added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You may need to limit your consumption of drinks sweetened with sugar. These drinks are typically packed with sugar which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes like diet and exercise to help control your diabetes.
If your blood sugar is not being controlled by one medication, you may need to take a different medication. Your doctor will guide you to select the right medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
The latest medications, including sodium-glucose -cotransporter-2 inhibitors, and glucagon peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as reducing the chance of developing complications. They also aid in weight loss, and they are available in tablets and injections.