Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that is affecting millions of people each year. It happens when the body is unable to make enough insulin or use the insulin that it has effectively.
Diet, exercise and medication can help prevent or delay the development of the disease. It’s important to be aware of symptoms to know whether something is wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) health condition that affects the way your body transforms 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 known as glucose. People with type 2 diabetes aren’t able to make enough insulin or their bodies don’t use it properly.
In both forms of diabetes, blood sugar levels can become too high in time. This can lead to problems in the kidneys, eyes and feet. It could also cause damage to arteries in your heart and 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 take place over months or even years before resulting in the absence of insulin completely.
People with type 1 diabetes require insulin every day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and activity levels to keep their blood sugar within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 the body isn’t functioning as insulin should. Insulin is a hormone that aids your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, which is then utilized to generate energy.
Type 2 diabetics have to exercise and adhere to a healthy diet. They might also need to take medications to manage their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are afflicted with symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects all races and ethnicities age, genders, and ages. Women are at higher risk than men.
Women who suffer from diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications compared to men, such as heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia is a sign of warning for diabetes in women. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your blood and kidneys can’t remove it.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
In the case of diabetes, cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This is typically because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin.
This leads to elevated blood sugar levels. Your body attempts to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty and require to drink a lot of fluids.
Men may also experience weight loss because their bodies break down muscle for energy, instead of fat. This is due to their blood sugar levels are elevated for long periods.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diabetes diet can be an essential part of managing the condition. It can help control blood sugar levels and weight, as well as reduce the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
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 low in added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You might also consider limiting the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks typically contain a lot of sugar in them that can cause high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within a normal range. These medications are usually combined with lifestyle changes, like diet and physical activity, to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well managed on one medication it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor will guide you to choose the best medicine for 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 levels and provide benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the risk of developing complications. They’re also helpful for weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.