Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that affects millions of people every year. It occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin, or fails to utilize the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medication can help to prevent or delay the disease. It’s important to be aware of the symptoms to determine if something is wrong and get 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 isn’t producing enough insulin or isn’t able to use it properly.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, also known as glucose. People with type 2 diabetes aren’t able to make enough insulin or their bodies don’t utilize it correctly.
In both types of diabetes, the blood sugar levels get excessively high over time. This can cause problems with your eyes, kidneys and feet. 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 cells that produce insulin and destroys them. The destruction can happen over many months or even years until it leads to the absence of insulin completely.
Type 1 diabetics require insulin every day. They also must monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust their the levels of insulin, food and activity levels to keep their blood glucose within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2, your body is not making the insulin it needs to. Insulin is a hormonal substance that assists your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells where it can be utilized to generate energy.
Type 2 diabetes sufferers need to treat their diabetes with a healthy diet and exercise. They might also need to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
Signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all races and ethnic groups as well as ages and genders. Women are at higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes are more likely to suffer from complications, like heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
One of the early warning signs of women with diabetes is increased thirst and urination, called polydipsia. This is due to diabetes causing excess sugar to build up in your blood and the kidneys aren’t able filter it out in a proper manner.
Symptoms of diabetes in men
In diabetes the cells are unable use blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas does not produce enough insulin.
This leads to high blood sugar levels. Your body will then try to lower the levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and need to drink plenty of fluids.
Men can also lose weight as their bodies utilize muscles for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar level remains high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diabetes diet is an important aspect of managing the condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products as well as legumes, beans and beans are excellent choices. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You may need to limit your consumption of drinks sweetened with sugar. These drinks often have lots of sugar in them which can result in elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes, such as exercise and diet to help you manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well managed by one medication it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor will work with you to select the most appropriate medication to meet your needs and preferences.
The latest medications, including sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors as well as glucagon peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower blood sugar levels and provide benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the chance of developing complications. They are also useful for weight loss, and they come in both tablets and injections.