Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people every year. It is caused when the body is unable to produce enough insulin or cannot utilize the insulin it produces effectively.
Exercise, diet and medication can help to prevent or delay the progression of the disease. It is also crucial to recognize the signs to determine whether you have a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic illness (long-lasting), which alters the way your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas stops making enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as well as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, also known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics do not produce enough insulin, or their bodies cannot use it correctly.
The blood sugar levels rise over time in both kinds of diabetes. This can cause issues in the feet, eyes, and kidneys. It may also cause damage to the arteries in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic cells that produce insulin, and destroys them. This process can take months or even years until it eventually leads to the complete absence of insulin.
Insulin is required by people with type 1 diabetes all day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and levels of activity to keep their blood sugar in a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not utilize insulin in the way it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells to remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells so that it can be used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetes sufferers have to manage their condition with a healthy diet and exercise. They may also have to take medication to control their blood glucose levels.
Women with diabetes are afflicted with symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races, ethnicities, and genders. However, women are at a higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes are more likely to develop complications, including heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication), and vision loss.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for women suffering from diabetes. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood and your kidneys aren’t able to remove it correctly.
The signs of diabetes in men
In diabetes the cells are unable use blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This usually happens because the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body then tries to lower these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty and require to drink plenty of fluids.
Men can also lose weight as their bodies use muscles for energy instead of fat. This is because their blood sugar levels stay high for extended periods.
Diabetes diet
A balanced diet for diabetes is a crucial aspect of managing the condition. It can help regulate blood sugar levels and weight, as well as reduce the risk factors for heart diseases.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole foods, such as fruits, whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You may also want to limit the amount of sugar-sweetened beverages you consume. These drinks often have a lot of sugar in them that can cause elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within an acceptable range. These drugs are often paired with changes in lifestyle, like eating habits and physical activity to manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well managed on one medication then a second medication could be added. Your doctor will help you select the right medicine for your preferences and needs.
The latest medications, including sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors as well as glucagon peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while decreasing the chance of developing complications. They also aid in weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.