Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that affects millions of people every year. It is caused when the body is unable to make enough insulin or utilize the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medication can help prevent or delay the development of the disease. It is also essential to be aware of symptoms to determine whether something is wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long-lasting) that alters the way your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or fails to utilize it in a proper manner.
Insulin is a hormone that helps cells absorb and utilize sugar, which is called glucose. People with type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies don’t utilize it correctly.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels can become excessively high over time. This can lead to problems in the kidneys, eyes and feet. It can also damage the blood vessels in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks the insulin-producing pancreatic cells and destroys them. This destruction can happen over many years or months until it eventually leads to the complete absence of insulin.
Type 1 diabetics must take insulin each day. They must also monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust their food, insulin and activity levels to keep their blood glucose within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes your body may not make use of insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone which helps your cells take blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells so that it can be used for energy.
People with type 2 diabetes need to treat their diabetes with a healthy diet and exercise. They may also need to take medicine to control their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnicities, and genders. However women are at higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes are at a greater risk chance of developing complications than men, such as heart disease (the most commonly reported diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia can be a warning sign for women suffering from diabetes. This is due to diabetes causing excess sugar to build up in your blood and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to filter it out in a proper manner.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
In the case of diabetes the cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This is usually due to the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.
This can lead to elevated blood sugar levels. Your body then tries to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty, and need to drink plenty of fluids.
Men may also experience weight loss since their bodies break down muscle for energy, instead of fat. This is because their blood sugar levels are elevated for long periods.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diabetes diet can be an essential part of managing the condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar levels, manage your weight, and lower the risk of heart disease by reducing risk factors.
Your diet should comprise plenty of whole food items, including fruits, whole grains, vegetables as well as beans and dairy that is low in fat. It should be free of saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may also consider limiting the amount of sugar-sweetened drinks you consume. These drinks often have plenty of sugar, which can lead to elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may suggest diabetes medication to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within a normal range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes like exercise and diet to help control your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well managed on one medication, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor will assist you pick the best medication for your preferences and needs.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptors, lower blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as reducing the risk of developing complications. They also help with weight loss, and come in both tablet and injection forms.