Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions each year. It happens when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can help to prevent or delay the onset of the disease. It’s also important to be aware of the symptoms to determine if something is wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health problem (long-lasting), which alters how your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas does not produce enough insulin or is unable to properly use it.
Insulin is a hormone that assists cells absorb and utilize 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.
The blood sugar levels increase over time in both types of diabetes. This can lead to problems with the kidneys, eyes and feet. It may also damage your brain and heart arteries.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks insulin-producing pancreatic cells and destroys them. The destruction can take place over months or even for years, eventually resulting in an absence of insulin.
People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin each day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and levels of exercise to maintain their blood sugar within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body does not utilize insulin in the way it should. Insulin is a hormone which helps your cells take blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells so that it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and eat a healthy diet. They might also need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Symptoms of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects all races and ethnic groups age, genders, and ages. However women are at higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to experience complications, such as heart disease (the most common complication associated with diabetes) and loss of vision.
One early warning sign of women with diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urination, called polydipsia. This is because diabetes can create excess sugar in your blood, and your kidneys cannot eliminate it.
Men with diabetes The signs and symptoms
In diabetes the cells are unable make use of blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas does not produce enough insulin.
This causes high blood sugar levels. Your body then tries to lower these levels by flushing out the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
People with diabetes are typically thirsty, and they need to drink plenty of fluids.
Men can also lose weight as their bodies use muscle for energy rather than fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels remain high for extended periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet with a low-carbohydrate diet is a crucial aspect of managing the condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar levels, manage your weight, and lower risk factors for heart disease.
Your diet should include plenty of whole food items, including fruits vegetables, whole grains beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be free of saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You might want to limit your intake of sweetened drinks with sugar. These drinks usually contain high levels of sugar in them, which can lead to high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may suggest diabetes medications to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within normal levels. These medications are typically paired with lifestyle changes such as exercise and diet to help you manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t controlled on one medicine then a second medication could be added. Your doctor will assist you select the right medicine to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer medicines like glucagon-like receptor agonists, peptide-1, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors lower blood sugar levels, provide cardiovascular and kidney benefits, and lower the risk of complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss, and they come in both tablet and injection forms.