Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people each year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or it’s unable to utilize the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it is treatable and prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It is also important to understand the symptoms so you can identify whether there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects the way your body transforms food into energy. It happens when your pancreas stops making enough insulin or isn’t able to use it as effectively as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that helps cells absorb and utilize sugar, also known as glucose. People suffering from type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to make it work properly.
In both forms of diabetes, blood sugar levels become excessively high over time. This can lead to problems with the eyes, feet and kidneys. It could also harm your heart arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease and means that the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. This destruction can occur over several months or even years and eventually lead to the absence of insulin completely.
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 maintain their blood sugar within the normal range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes the body does not make use of insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells get blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and eat a balanced diet. They may also have to take medications to control their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races and ethnicities, ages, and genders. However, women are at a higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience complications, like heart disease (the most frequent diabetes-related complication), and vision loss.
Polydipsia can be a warning sign for women with diabetes. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the bloodstream and your kidneys aren’t equipped to filter it out properly.
Diabetes in men Men: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes the cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is typically because the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.
This leads to high blood sugar levels. Your body attempts to reduce these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and need to drink lots of fluids.
Men also may lose weight because their bodies utilize muscles for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels are high for extended periods.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is a key element in managing your diabetes. It can help you manage your blood sugar levels, control your weight, and reduce the risk of heart disease by reducing risk factors.
Your diet should comprise plenty of whole foods like fruits vegetables, whole grains beans, and low-fat dairy. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You might also want to limit the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks often have high levels of sugar in them, which can lead to high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These medications are typically used with lifestyle changes such as eating habits and exercise to manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not well controlled with one medication, you might need to take a different medication. Your doctor will guide you to determine the most appropriate medicine for your personal preferences and needs.
Newer medications, like sodium-glucose -cotransporter-2 inhibitors, and glucagon peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while decreasing the risk of complications. They also aid in weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.