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’s unable to utilize the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it is curable and treated or delayed through diet, exercise and medications. It is also essential to be aware of symptoms so you can tell what’s wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body converts food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or fails to properly use it.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body absorb and use glucose, also known as sugar. People with type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies don’t use it properly.
In both forms of diabetes, blood sugar levels get too high over time. This can lead to issues with the kidneys, eyes and feet. It may also damage the heart and brain arteries as well as your brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, meaning that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. This process can take several years or even decades until it eventually leads 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 activity levels to maintain their blood sugar within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body isn’t making the insulin it needs to. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells to remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used to create energy.
People suffering from type 2 diabetes must treat their condition with a healthy diet and regular exercise. They may also need to take medication to regulate their blood glucose levels.
Symptoms of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races and ethnicities as well as ages and genders. Women are more at risk than men.
Women with diabetes have a higher likelihood of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
One of the first signs of women suffering from diabetes is a rise in thirst and urination, called polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the bloodstream and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to filter it out in a proper manner.
Men with diabetes: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes, cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This is usually because the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This leads to high blood sugar levels. Your body will then attempt to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and they have to drink lots of fluids.
Men may be able to experience weight loss too as their muscles are broken down by their bodies for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels remain high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes is a crucial aspect of managing your diabetes. It can help control blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
Your diet should include plenty of whole food items, including fruits, whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You might be advised to limit your consumption of beverages sweetened with sugar. These drinks are usually packed with sugar which can cause blood sugar levels to increase.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are often combined with lifestyle changes, like eating habits and physical activity to manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not well controlled with one medication, you may need to take a different medication. Your doctor will work with you to pick the most appropriate medication for your requirements and preferences.
Newer drugs like glucagonlike receptor agonists, peptide-1, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors lower blood sugar levels, provide cardiovascular and kidney benefits, and lower the risk of complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.