Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that is affecting millions of people each year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
Diet, exercise and medication can help prevent or delay the disease. It is also crucial to recognize the signs so you can tell whether you are suffering from a condition and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that affects the way your body turns food into energy. It happens when your pancreas does not produce enough insulin or isn’t able to use it properly.
Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells absorb and use sugar, also known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin, or their bodies aren’t able to use it effectively.
The blood sugar levels rise as time passes in both types of diabetes. This can lead to problems in the kidneys, eyes and feet. It can also harm the blood vessels in your heart as well as the brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder and means that the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. This destruction can happen over months or years and eventually lead to the complete absence of insulin.
Insulin is a requirement for people with type 1 diabetes every day. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activities to maintain their blood sugar within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes your body may not utilize insulin in the way it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells get blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and eat a balanced diet. They may also need to take medication to manage their blood glucose levels.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people from all races, ethnicities and genders. However women are at higher risk than males.
Women who suffer from diabetes are more likely to suffer from complications, such as heart disease (the most frequent diabetes-related complication), and vision loss.
One of the early warning signs of diabetes in women is a rise in thirst and urinary frequency, also known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood and the kidneys aren’t able eliminate it properly.
Diabetes in men Men: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes, cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This is typically because the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body then attempts to reduce these levels by flushing the excess glucose out of your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and need to drink a lot of fluids.
Men may also lose weight because their bodies use muscles for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar level remains high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes is an important aspect of managing the condition. It can help manage blood sugar levels, manage weight and reduce the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
Your diet should consist of a wide range of whole foods like fruits whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be free of saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may be advised to limit your consumption of beverages sweetened with sugar. These drinks typically contain lots of sugar that can cause high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may suggest diabetes medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in normal levels. These drugs are often paired with lifestyle changes, like exercise and diet to help manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well managed by one medication it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor will assist you determine the most appropriate medicine to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer medications, such as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the risk of developing complications. They also help with weight loss, and they are available in tablet and injection forms.