Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that affects millions of people every year. It happens when the body is unable to produce enough insulin, or fails to use the insulin that it has effectively.
The good news is that it is treatable and prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It is important to know the symptoms, to determine whether there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health problem (long-lasting) that alters how your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and use glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics aren’t producing enough insulin or are unable to use it in a proper way.
The blood sugar levels rise as time passes in both types of diabetes. This can lead to problems with your eyes, feet and kidneys. It may also damage your brain and heart arteries.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which your 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 a total lack of insulin.
Type 1 diabetics need to take insulin every day. They must also keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activity levels to keep their blood sugar levels within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 the body isn’t producing insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells to remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and follow a healthy diet. They may also have to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnic groups, ages, and genders. Women are more at risk than males.
Women with diabetes are more likely to suffer from complications, such as heart disease (the most frequent diabetes-related complication), and vision loss.
Polydipsia is a sign of warning for women suffering from diabetes. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to accumulate in your blood and your kidneys are not able to remove it.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
In diabetes the cells are unable make use of blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas is producing too little insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body will then try to lower these levels by flushing out the excess glucose in your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty, and need to drink a lot of fluids.
Men can also lose weight since their bodies use muscle for energy rather than fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay high for long periods.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is a crucial aspect of managing your condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
Your diet should include plenty of whole foods like fruits, whole grains, vegetables as well as beans and dairy that is low in fat. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You might be advised to limit your consumption of drinks that are sweetened with sugar. These drinks are often high in sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might recommend diabetes medication to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within the normal range. These drugs are often paired with changes to your lifestyle, such as diet and physical activity, to help manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well controlled on one medicine another medicine could be added. Your doctor will assist you to select the most appropriate medication for your specific needs and preferences.
Newer medications, such as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists for the peptide-1 receptor, decrease blood sugar levels and provide benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while decreasing the chance of developing complications. They’re also helpful for weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.