Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that affects millions of people each year. It is caused when the body does not produce enough insulin, or fails to make use of the insulin it produces effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medication. It is also essential to know the symptoms, so you can tell whether you have a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) disease that affects how your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas stops making enough insulin or isn’t able to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body to absorb and utilize glucose, also referred to as sugar. Type 2 diabetics don’t make enough insulin, or their bodies are unable to use it properly.
The blood sugar levels increase over time in both types of diabetes. This can cause issues with the eyes, feet and kidneys. It could also harm your heart arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks insulin-producing pancreatic cells and destroys them. This destruction can occur over months or even years until it leads to the absence of insulin completely.
Type 1 diabetics must take insulin each day. They must also keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and levels of exercise to keep their blood sugar levels within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes the body isn’t using insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells take blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used as energy.
People with type 2 diabetes must treat their condition through a healthy diet and exercise. They may also have to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races and ethnicities, ages, and genders. Women are more susceptible than males.
Women with diabetes are more prone to suffer from complications, like heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
One of the early warning signs of diabetes in women is a higher thirst and increased urinary frequency, also known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your blood, and your kidneys cannot filter it out.
Men with diabetes Men: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes it is when cells are unable make use of blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is usually because the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This leads to high blood sugar levels. Your body then attempts to reduce these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and they need to drink a lot of fluids.
Men may also experience weight loss because their muscles are broken down by their bodies for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that the blood sugar level stays high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is a key element in managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar levels control weight and reduce the risk factors for heart diseases.
Your diet should include plenty of whole food items, including fruits whole grains, vegetables as well as beans and dairy that is low in fat. It should be low in saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You might also want to limit the amount of sugar-sweetened beverages you consume. These drinks often have plenty of sugar in them, which can lead to 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 typically used with lifestyle changes, such as eating habits and exercise to help control your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not being adequately controlled with one medication, you may need to take a different medication. Your doctor will guide you to determine the most appropriate medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors as well as glucagon antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar and have benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the risk of developing complications. They also help with weight loss and come in both tablets and injections.