Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that affects millions of people every year. It occurs 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 can be treated and can be prevented or delayed by diet, exercise and medications. It’s also crucial to be aware of the symptoms to be able to tell if something is wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or isn’t able to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells absorb and use sugar, which is called glucose. Type 2 diabetics do not produce enough insulin or aren’t able to use it in a proper way.
The blood sugar levels rise with time in both forms of diabetes. This can lead to issues with the eyes, kidneys and feet. It may also damage your heart arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease, meaning that the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. The destruction can take place over several months or even years and eventually lead to the absence of insulin completely.
Insulin is required by people with type 1 diabetes all 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 a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes your body doesn’t make use of insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone which helps your cells get blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and follow a healthy diet. They may also have to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races and ethnic groups, ages, and genders. However women are at greater risk than men.
Women who suffer from diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications compared to men, including heart disease (the most frequent diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia can be a warning sign for women with diabetes. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the bloodstream and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to remove it effectively.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
In the case of diabetes, cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This is usually due to the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body attempts to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty, and they have to drink plenty of fluids.
Men may be able to experience weight loss too as their bodies break down muscle for energy, instead of fat. This is because blood sugar levels remain elevated for long periods.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes is a key element in managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage your weight, and lower risk factors for heart disease.
Your diet should include plenty of whole foods like fruits whole grains, vegetables as well as beans and dairy that is low in fat. It should be free of added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You may be advised to limit your consumption of sweetened drinks with sugar. These drinks are typically packed with sugar which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes-related medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medicines are usually combined with lifestyle changes, such as eating habits and exercise to manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well controlled by one medicine, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor can help you pick the best medication to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptors, lower blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while decreasing the chance of developing complications. They are also useful for weight loss, and come in both tablets and injections.