Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people each year. It occurs when your body isn’t producing enough insulin, or it’s not able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It is also essential to be aware of the symptoms so you can tell whether something is wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic illness (long-lasting), which alters the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or is unable to use it correctly.
Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells absorb and use sugar, which is called glucose. Type 2 diabetics don’t make enough insulin or their bodies are unable to use it correctly.
In both types of diabetes, the blood sugar levels are excessively high over time. This can cause issues with your eyes, kidneys and feet. It may also cause damage to the arteries 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 the pancreatic cells that produce insulin and destroys them. This destruction can happen over months or years before eventually resulting in an inability to produce insulin.
Type 1 diabetics need to take insulin every day. They also have to keep track of their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and levels of exercise to maintain their blood sugar 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 assists your cells take blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and eat a healthy diet. They might also need to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all races and ethnicities and ages as well as genders. However, women are at a greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to experience complications, including heart disease (the most frequent diabetes-related complication), and vision loss.
One of the early signs of women with diabetes is increased thirst and the frequency of urination, which is known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excess sugar to build up in the blood, and the kidneys aren’t able get rid of it properly.
Diabetes in men: Symptoms
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 produces too little insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body then tries to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes typically feel thirsty and need to drink large amounts of fluids. This can be up to four liters daily.
Men may also lose weight because their bodies make use of muscles to generate energy, not fat. This is due to the fact that the blood sugar level stays high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes is a crucial aspect of managing the condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar, manage your weight and reduce heart disease risk factors.
You should include whole foods in your diet, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products, beans, and legumes are a good choice. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You might also be able to reduce the amount of sugar-sweetened beverages you consume. These drinks often have plenty of sugar in them that can cause high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetic medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are usually combined with changes to your lifestyle, such as physical activity and diet, 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 assist you to select the best medication for your needs and preferences.
The latest medications, including sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors as well as glucagon peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the chance of developing complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss and come in both tablet and injection forms.