Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions each year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or it’s not able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and can be prevented or delayed by diet, exercise and medication. It is important to know the symptoms, to determine whether you are suffering from a condition and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas stops producing enough insulin, or fails to use it as well 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 don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to use it properly.
The blood sugar levels increase with time in both forms of diabetes. This can cause problems with your eyes, feet and kidneys. It can also damage the coronary 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. The destruction can take place over months or even years and eventually lead to the total absence of insulin.
People suffering from type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day. They also need to monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust their the insulin, food and activity levels to keep their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes the body does not use insulin the way it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood 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 medicine to control their blood sugar levels.
Signs of women having diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people from all races, ethnicities and genders. Women are more at risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more likely to develop complications, such as heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication), and vision loss.
One early warning sign of women with diabetes is increased thirst and urinary frequency, also known as polydipsia. This is due to diabetes causing excess sugar to build up in the blood, and your kidneys aren’t equipped to filter it out properly.
The signs of diabetes in men
In the case of diabetes it is when cells are unable make use of blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This is usually because the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body will then try to lower the levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Patients with diabetes typically experience thirst and require to drink large amounts of fluids. This can be up to four liters daily.
Men can also lose weight since their bodies rely on muscle for energy rather than fat. This is because their blood sugar levels remain elevated for long periods.
Diabetes diet
Making a balanced diabetes diet is an important part of managing your diabetes. It can help you manage your blood sugar levels, reduce your weight and the risk of heart disease by reducing risk factors.
Your diet should consist of a wide range of whole foods, such as fruits whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be low in added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You may need to limit your consumption of drinks that are sweetened with sugar. These drinks are usually packed with sugar and can cause blood sugar levels in the body to increase.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within a normal range. These drugs are often paired with changes to your lifestyle, such as eating habits and physical activity to manage the condition.
If your blood sugar is not well controlled with one medicine, you may require a second medication. Your doctor will assist 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 of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar levels and provide benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as decreasing the risk of developing complications. They are also beneficial for weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.