Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people each year. It happens when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it’s not able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
Exercise, diet and medication can help to prevent or delay the progression of the disease. It is also essential to be aware of the symptoms so you can tell what’s wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that affects the way your body turns food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, or fails to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body absorb and use glucose, also referred to as sugar. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to use it correctly.
The blood sugar levels rise with time in both forms of diabetes. This can lead to problems with the eyes, feet, and kidneys. It can also harm the blood vessels in your heart as well as the brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells inside the pancreas. The destruction can take place over several months or even years until it leads to the complete absence of insulin.
Insulin is needed 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 exercise to maintain their blood sugar within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes your body may not make insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells take blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetes sufferers must treat their condition by eating a balanced diet and exercise. They may also need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are afflicted with symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects all races and ethnicities as well as ages and genders. However, women are at a higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes have a higher 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 suffering from diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urinary frequency, also known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the bloodstream and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to get rid of it effectively.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
Diabetes is a condition that occurs when cells are unable use glucose (blood sugar) as energy source. This is typically because the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body will then try to lower these levels by flushing out the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty and require to drink a lot of fluids.
Men may also lose weight as their bodies utilize muscle for energy rather than fat. This is because their blood sugar levels remain high for long periods.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet with a low-carbohydrate diet can be an essential part of managing the condition. It can help manage blood sugar levels and weight, as well as reduce risk factors for heart disease.
You should include whole food items in your diet, including fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products as well as legumes, beans and beans are good choices. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You may also want to limit the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks are usually high in sugar which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might recommend diabetes medications to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in the normal range. These drugs are often paired with lifestyle changes, like exercise and diet to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t controlled by one medicine, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor will work with you to choose the most appropriate medicine for your needs and preferences.
Newer medications like glucagon-like receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors reduce blood sugar, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits, and reduce the risk of complications. They are also useful for weight loss and are available in tablets and injections.