Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people every year. It occurs when the body fails to make enough insulin or utilize the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and can be avoided or delayed with diet, exercise and medication. It is also important to recognize the signs so you can identify whether you have a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health problem (long-lasting) that impacts the way your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas stops producing enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists cells absorb and utilize sugar, also known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics do not produce enough insulin, or their bodies aren’t able to use it properly.
The blood sugar levels increase as time passes in both types of diabetes. This can cause problems with the eyes, feet, and kidneys. It may also damage your heart 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 several months or even years and eventually lead to the complete absence of insulin.
People suffering from type 1 diabetes require insulin every day. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activities to keep their blood sugar in a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes your body doesn’t make insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells get blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells so that it can be used as energy.
People suffering from type 2 diabetes need to treat their diabetes through a healthy diet and regular exercise. They may also need to take medications to control their blood glucose levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects all races as well as ethnic groups as well as ages and genders. However women are at a higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications compared to men, including heart disease (the most frequent diabetes complication) and vision loss.
Polydipsia is a warning sign for women who suffer from diabetes. This is due to diabetes causing excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood and your kidneys aren’t able to filter it out correctly.
Symptoms of diabetes in men
Diabetes is a disease in which cells are not able to use glucose (blood sugar) as energy. This is usually because the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body then tries to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
People with diabetes are typically thirsty and require to drink a lot of fluids.
Men also may shed weight as their bodies rely on muscles to generate energy, not fat. This is due to their blood sugar levels are high for extended periods.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is an important part of managing your condition. It can help you control blood sugar, manage your weight and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Include whole foods in your diet, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products and legumes are a good choice. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You might be advised to limit your consumption of sweetened drinks with sugar. These drinks often have plenty of sugar which can result in elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are usually combined with changes in lifestyle, like physical activity and diet, to manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well controlled by one medicine, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor will assist you select the right medicine to suit your preferences and needs.
The latest medications, including sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar and have benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as reducing the risk of developing complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss, and come in both tablets and injections.