Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease which affects millions of people every year. It occurs when your body isn’t producing enough insulin, or when it’s unable to utilize the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and treated or delayed through diet, exercise and medications. It’s important to be aware of symptoms to know what’s wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) disease that affects the way your body turns food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas stops making enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as effectively as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells absorb and use sugar, which is called glucose. Type 2 diabetics do not produce enough insulin, or their bodies cannot use it properly.
The blood sugar levels increase with time in both forms of diabetes. This can lead to problems with your eyes, feet and kidneys. It can also damage your brain and heart arteries.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic insulin-producing cells and destroys them. The destruction can happen over several months or even years until it leads to the complete absence of insulin.
Type 1 diabetics must take insulin each day. They also must monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their the levels of insulin, food and activity levels in order to keep their blood sugar within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body does not make insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone which helps your cells to remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetics need to exercise and eat a healthy diet. They may also have to take medication to regulate their blood glucose levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people from all races, ethnicities and genders. However women are at greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to experience complications, such as heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
One of the early signs of women with diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urine, a condition known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can create excess sugar in your blood, and your kidneys cannot filter it out.
Diabetes in men Men: Symptoms
Diabetes is a disease in which cells are not able to use glucose (blood sugar) as energy source. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas does not produce enough insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. Your body will then try to lower the levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty, and they have to drink lots of fluids.
Men also may shed weight as their bodies make use of muscle for energy rather than fat. This is due to their blood sugar levels stay high for extended periods.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is a vital aspect of managing your diabetes. It can help manage blood sugar levels and weight, as well as reduce the risk factors for heart disease.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products and legumes are excellent choices. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You may consider limiting your consumption of sweetened drinks with sugar. These drinks are typically high in sugar which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These drugs are often paired with lifestyle changes, like diet and physical activity, to help manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well controlled on one medicine it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor will work with you to determine the best medication for your needs and preferences.
Newer medications such as glucagon-like receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose COtransporter-2 inhibitors decrease blood sugar levels, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits and lower the risk of complications. They also help with weight loss, and they come in both tablet and injection forms.