Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that is affecting millions of people each year. It is caused when the body fails to produce enough insulin, or fails to utilize the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can help prevent or delay the onset of the disease. It is also crucial to know the symptoms, to determine whether there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long-lasting) that alters how your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or is unable to use it properly.
Insulin is a hormone that helps cells absorb and utilize sugar, which is known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics aren’t producing enough insulin or are unable to use it properly.
In both types of diabetes, the blood sugar levels are too high in time. This can lead to problems with your feet, eyes, and kidneys. It could also harm the heart and brain arteries as well as your 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 process of destruction can last for many years or months, eventually leading to a total lack of insulin.
Insulin is required by people who suffer from type 1 diabetes each day. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and activity levels to keep their blood sugar levels within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes the body does not make insulin as it 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 must exercise and eat a balanced diet. They may also need to take medications to control their blood glucose levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnicities and genders. However women are at a higher risk than men.
Women who suffer from diabetes are more likely to develop complications, including heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for women who suffer from diabetes. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your bloodstream and kidneys can’t remove it.
Diabetes in men: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes the cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This usually happens because the pancreas produces insufficient insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. Your body attempts to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
People with diabetes are typically thirsty and require to drink plenty of fluids.
Men can be able to experience weight loss too as their bodies break down muscle for energy, instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar level remains high for extended periods of time.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is a key element in managing your diabetes. It can help regulate blood sugar levels, manage weight and reduce 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 drinks that are sweetened with sugar. These drinks often have a lot of sugar in them that can cause high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medication to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are typically paired with lifestyle changes such as exercising and diet to help control your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not well controlled with one medicine, you may need to add a second medication. Your doctor will work with you to select the most appropriate medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
The latest medications, including sodium-glucose -cotransporter-2 inhibitors, and glucagon antagonists for the peptide-1 receptor, decrease blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as decreasing the chance of developing complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss and come in both tablets and injections.