Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people each year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or it’s unable to utilize the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can help prevent or delay the disease. It’s also crucial to be aware of the symptoms to determine the signs of a problem and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health issue (long-lasting), which affects the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas stops producing enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as effectively as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, which is known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics do not produce enough insulin, or their bodies aren’t able to use it correctly.
In both forms of diabetes, the blood sugar levels get excessively high over time. This can cause problems with your feet, eyes, and kidneys. It could also cause damage to blood vessels in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder and means that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells inside the pancreas. This process can take months or even years and eventually lead to the total absence of insulin.
Insulin is required by those with type 1 diabetes every day. They must also monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust their food, insulin and activity levels in order to keep their blood sugar within the 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 assists your cells remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used as energy.
People suffering from type 2 diabetes must treat their condition by eating a balanced diet and regular exercise. They also may need to take medications to manage their blood sugar levels.
Symptoms of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races as well as ethnic groups, ages, and genders. However, women are at a higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for diabetes in women. This is because diabetes causes excess sugar to build up in the blood and the kidneys aren’t able remove it properly.
Symptoms of diabetes in men
Diabetes is a condition that occurs when cells are not able to use glucose (blood sugar) as energy source. This usually happens because the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.
This leads to elevated blood sugar levels. Your body then attempts to reduce these levels by flushing the excess glucose out of your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty and require to drink lots of fluids.
Men also may shed weight as their bodies utilize muscle for energy rather than fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels remain high for extended periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Making a balanced diabetes diet is a vital aspect of managing your diabetes. It can help you manage your blood sugar levels, control your weight, and reduce heart disease risk factors.
You should include whole food items in your diet, including fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products as well as legumes, beans and beans are good choices. It should be free of saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may want to limit your intake of beverages sweetened with sugar. These drinks are often high in sugar and can cause blood sugar levels to increase.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may recommend diabetes medications to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in the normal range. These medicines are usually combined with lifestyle changes like exercising and diet to help control your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well managed on one medication then a second medication could be added. Your doctor will assist you select the right medicine for your personal preferences and needs.
Newer medications, such as sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors as well as glucagon antagonists of the peptide-1 receptors, lower blood sugar levels and provide benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the risk of developing complications. They are also beneficial for weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.