Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people every year. It occurs when your body isn’t producing enough insulin or it’s not able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
Exercise, diet and medication can aid in preventing or reducing the development of the disease. It is also essential to know the symptoms, so you can determine whether you are suffering from a condition and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body transforms food into energy. It happens when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or isn’t able to utilize it in a proper manner.
Insulin is a hormone that assists cells absorb and utilize sugar, which is known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics aren’t producing enough insulin, or their bodies are unable to use it effectively.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels get excessively high over time. This can cause problems in the kidneys, eyes and feet. It can also cause damage to your heart arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks insulin-producing pancreatic cells and destroys them. This destruction can occur over many months or even years before resulting in the complete absence of insulin.
People suffering from type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day. They also have to keep track of their blood glucose levels and adjust their the levels of insulin, food and activity levels in order to keep their blood glucose within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2, your body is not making the insulin it needs to. 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 need to treat their diabetes through a healthy diet and exercise. They also may need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races as well as ethnic groups and ages as well as genders. Women are more at risk than males.
Women with diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications than men, such as heart disease (the most frequent diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
One of the first signs of diabetes in women is increased thirst and urine, a condition known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can create excess sugar in your bloodstream and your kidneys are not able to eliminate it.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
In diabetes the cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This usually happens because the pancreas produces insufficient insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. The body tries to lower these levels by flushing excess glucose out of your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty, and they need to drink plenty of fluids.
Men also may lose weight since 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
A healthy diet for diabetes is an important part of managing your condition. It can help manage blood sugar levels, manage weight and reduce the risk factors for heart disease.
Your diet should comprise plenty of whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be free of saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may want to limit your intake of drinks that are sweetened with sugar. These drinks are usually packed with sugar and can cause blood sugar levels to increase.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medication to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within the normal range. These medications are usually combined with lifestyle changes, such as physical activity and diet, to manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar is not being adequately controlled with one medication, you might require a second medication. Your doctor can help you pick the best medication to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer drugs like glucagonlike receptor agonists, peptide-1, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors lower blood sugar, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits and reduce the risk of complications. They are also beneficial for weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.