Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions each year. It is caused when the body fails to produce enough insulin or utilize the insulin 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 recognize the signs to determine whether there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) disease that affects the way your body turns food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, which is called glucose. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin or are unable to use it in a proper way.
The blood sugar levels rise over time in both types of diabetes. This can cause problems with your eyes, kidneys and feet. It could also cause damage to blood vessels in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction which means that your immune system attacks pancreatic insulin-producing cells and destroys them. The destruction can take place over months or even years and eventually lead to a total lack of insulin.
Insulin is a requirement for people who suffer from type 1 diabetes each day. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and levels of exercise to keep their blood sugar in a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2, your body is not functioning as insulin should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells move glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, where it is used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and eat a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races, ethnic groups, ages, and genders. However women are at a greater risk than men.
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 early warning sign of women with diabetes is a higher thirst and increased the frequency of urination, which is known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to accumulate in your blood and kidneys can’t eliminate it.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
Diabetes is a condition in which cells are unable use glucose (blood sugar) as energy source. This usually happens because the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body will then try to lower these levels by flushing out the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty, and they have to drink a lot of fluids.
Men may also lose weight as their bodies utilize muscle for energy rather than fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Making a balanced diabetes diet is an important part of managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease the risk factors for heart disease.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole foods, including fruits, whole grains, vegetables beans, and low-fat dairy. It should be free of added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You may want to limit your intake of drinks sweetened with sugar. These drinks are often packed with sugar and can cause blood sugar levels to increase.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes-related medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the normal range. These medications are often combined with lifestyle changes, like eating habits and physical activity to manage the condition.
If your blood sugar is not being managed well with one medicine, you may need to take a different medication. Your doctor will work with you to pick the best medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
Newer medications, such as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower blood sugar and have benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while decreasing the chance of developing complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss, and they come in both tablet and injection forms.