Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people every year. It occurs when the body is unable to produce enough insulin, or fails to use the insulin that it does have effectively.
The good news is that it is treatable and prevented or delayed by diet, exercise and medication. It is also important to be aware of the signs, to determine whether you are suffering from a condition and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic illness (long-lasting), which affects the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, or fails to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, also known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics don’t make enough insulin or aren’t able to utilize it correctly.
In both forms of diabetes, blood sugar levels become excessively high over time. This can lead to issues with your eyes, kidneys and feet. It can also cause damage to the heart and brain arteries as well as your brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease in which your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. This destruction can happen over many years or months and eventually lead to the total absence of insulin.
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 levels of activity to keep their blood sugar within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body is not using insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells move glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, which can then be used to create energy.
People with type 2 diabetes need to treat their diabetes by eating a balanced diet and exercise. They may also need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
It is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnicities and genders. However women are at a higher risk than men.
Women who suffer from diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications than men, such as heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia is a sign of warning for women with diabetes. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood and your kidneys aren’t able to filter it out effectively.
Symptoms of diabetes in men
Diabetes is a disease in which cells are unable use glucose (blood sugar) for energy. This usually happens because the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. The body tries to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose out of your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty and require to drink plenty of fluids.
Men can also lose weight because their bodies utilize muscles to generate energy, not fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar level remains high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is a key element in managing your diabetes. It can help you manage your blood sugar, reduce your weight and risk factors for heart disease.
Include whole foods in your diet, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products such as beans, legumes, and beans are good choices. 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 typically contain high levels of sugar in them and can cause elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might recommend diabetic medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in an acceptable range. These drugs are often paired with changes in lifestyle, like exercise and diet to help manage 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 pick the most appropriate medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
Newer medicines like glucagon-like receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors lower blood sugar levels, offer kidney and cardiovascular benefits and lower the risk of complications. They also aid in weight loss, and they are available in tablet and injection forms.