Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people each year. It occurs when the body fails to make enough insulin or use the insulin that it produces effectively.
The good news is that it can be treated and can be treated or delayed through diet, exercise and medication. It is also important to understand the symptoms to determine if there is 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 doesn’t produce 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 don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies are unable to use it effectively.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels get too high over time. This can cause problems in the feet, eyes, and kidneys. It may also cause damage to the blood vessels in your heart as well as the brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease which means that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The destruction can take place over months or even years and eventually lead to the total absence of insulin.
People suffering from type 1 diabetes require insulin every day. They must also keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and activities to keep their blood sugar levels within the normal range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 your body isn’t functioning as insulin should. Insulin is a hormone that aids your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, which is then used to create energy.
People suffering from type 2 diabetes need to treat their diabetes with a healthy diet and exercise. They may also have to take medication to manage their blood glucose levels.
Signs of women having diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all races and ethnicities, ages, and genders. However women are at greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes have a greater chance of developing complications compared to men, such as heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) and vision loss.
One of the early warning signs of women suffering from diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urination, called polydipsia. This is due to diabetes causing excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood, and your kidneys aren’t equipped to eliminate it correctly.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
In diabetes it is when cells are unable use blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This is usually because the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.
This can lead to high blood sugar levels. Your body then tries to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose out of your bloodstream via urine.
People with diabetes are typically thirsty and require to drink a lot of fluids.
Men can also experience weight loss because their bodies break down muscle to make energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes is an important part of managing your diabetes. It can help manage blood sugar levels and weight, as well as reduce the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole foods, including fruits, whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You may also want to limit the amount of drinks that contain sugar you consume. These drinks usually contain plenty of sugar in them which can result in elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are typically combined with changes to your lifestyle, such as exercise and diet to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well managed on one medication another medicine could be added. Your doctor will assist you to determine the most appropriate medicine for your requirements and preferences.
Newer medications, such as sodium-glucose -cotransporter-2 inhibitors, and glucagon antagonists for the peptide-1 receptor, decrease blood sugar levels and provide benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as decreasing the chance of developing complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss, and they are available in tablet and injection forms.