Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people each year. It happens because the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or utilize the insulin it produces effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can help prevent or delay the disease. It’s also important to be aware of symptoms to determine whether something is wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects the way your body turns food into energy. It happens when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or isn’t able to use it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, also known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin, or their bodies cannot use it effectively.
In both types of diabetes, the blood sugar levels get excessively high over time. This can lead to issues 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 the insulin-producing pancreatic cells and destroys them. This process can last for many months or even years and eventually lead to an absence of insulin.
Insulin is needed by people with type 1 diabetes every day. They also have to keep track of their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activities to keep their blood sugar levels within the normal range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes the body isn’t making the insulin it needs to. Insulin is a hormone that aids in the movement of glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, which can then be utilized to generate energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and adhere to a healthy diet. They may also have to take medications to manage their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnicities, ages and genders. However women are at higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes are more prone to develop complications, like heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
One early warning sign of women suffering from diabetes is increased thirst and urinary frequency, also 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 properly.
Symptoms of diabetes in men
In the case of diabetes the cells are unable use blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This usually happens because the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This can lead to high blood sugar levels. Your body then tries to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty, and need to drink lots of fluids.
Men may also experience weight loss as their muscles are broken down by their bodies for energy, instead of fat. This is because blood sugar levels remain high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is an important part of managing your condition. It can help control blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
You should include whole foods in your diet, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products as well as legumes, beans and beans are a good choice. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You may also consider limiting the amount of sugar-sweetened beverages you consume. These drinks often have high levels of sugar in them which can result in high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might recommend diabetes medications to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in a normal range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes, like physical activity and diet, to manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t controlled on one medicine then a second medication could be added. Your doctor will work with you to pick the best medicine for your needs and preferences.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as reducing the risk of complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss and come in both tablets and injections.