Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people each year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it is treatable and prevented or delayed by diet, exercise and medication. It is also essential to be aware of the symptoms to determine the signs of a problem and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that affects how your body transforms food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas stops producing enough insulin, or fails to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and use glucose, also referred to as sugar. Type 2 diabetics don’t make enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it correctly.
The blood sugar levels increase over time in both kinds of diabetes. This can lead to problems in the feet, eyes, and kidneys. It can also harm the blood vessels in your heart as well as the brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic cells that produce insulin, and destroys them. The destruction can happen over many months or even years and eventually lead to the absence of insulin completely.
People suffering from type 1 diabetes must take insulin each day. They must also keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and levels of exercise to keep their blood sugar within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 your body isn’t using insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells to remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetics have to exercise and eat a healthy diet. They might also need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Symptoms of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people from all races, ethnicities and genders. However women are at greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes are at a greater risk likelihood of developing complications than men, such as heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and vision loss.
One early warning sign of women suffering from diabetes is increased thirst and the frequency of urination, which is known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your bloodstream and kidneys can’t remove it.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
Diabetes is a condition that occurs when cells are unable use glucose (blood sugar) as energy source. This usually happens because the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. The body tries to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
People suffering from diabetes frequently have a thirsty feeling and must drink large amounts of fluids. It can be as much as four liters a day.
Men can also lose weight as their bodies rely on muscles for energy instead of fat. This is because their blood sugar levels stay elevated for long periods.
Diabetes diet
Making a balanced diabetes diet is a vital aspect of managing your condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
Your diet should include plenty of whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You may also be able to reduce the amount of drinks that contain sugar you consume. These drinks are often packed with sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels in the body to increase.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medication to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These drugs are often paired with lifestyle changes, like diet and physical activity, to manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well managed on one medication it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor will assist you to choose the most appropriate medication to meet your needs and preferences.
The latest medications, including sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as reducing the risk of complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss, and they are available in tablets and injections.