Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease which affects millions of people every year. It occurs when the body does not make enough insulin or utilize the insulin it has effectively.
Exercise, diet and medication can help to prevent or delay the onset of the disease. It’s also crucial to be aware of symptoms to determine whether something is wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long-lasting), which affects the way your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or can’t use it as effectively as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, which is called glucose. People suffering from type 2 diabetes don’t make enough insulin, or their bodies can’t make it in a proper way.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels get too high in time. This can lead to problems with your eyes, feet and kidneys. It can also damage your heart arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks pancreatic cells that produce insulin and destroys them. This destruction can happen over months or even years before eventually resulting in the complete absence of insulin.
Insulin is required by those with type 1 diabetes all day. They also have to keep track of their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and activities to keep their blood sugar within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 your body isn’t producing insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone which helps your cells to remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and eat a healthy diet. They may also need to take medicine to control their blood sugar levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races, ethnicities and genders. Women are more at risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to suffer from complications, like heart disease (the most frequent diabetes-related complication), and vision loss.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for women who suffer from diabetes. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood, and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to get rid of it correctly.
The signs of diabetes in men
Diabetes is a condition in which cells are not able to use glucose (blood sugar) as energy. This is usually because the pancreas produces insufficient insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body will then attempt to lower the levels by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream via urine.
People with diabetes are typically thirsty and require to drink plenty 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 stay high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diabetes diet can be a key part of managing the condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar levels, control your weight, and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Your diet should comprise plenty of whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains beans, and low-fat dairy. It should be low in added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You might also want to limit the amount of sugar-sweetened drinks you consume. These drinks are usually high in sugar which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the normal range. These medicines are usually combined with lifestyle changes like diet and exercise to help you manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t controlled by one medicine then a second medication could be added. Your doctor will work with you to determine the most appropriate medicine for your requirements and preferences.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar and have benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as decreasing the risk of complications. They are also useful for weight loss, and come in both tablet and injection forms.