Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people each year. It is caused when the body fails to make enough insulin or utilize the insulin it has effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can help to prevent or delay the development of the disease. It’s also important to be aware of the symptoms to be able to tell whether something is wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic illness (long-lasting) that alters the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas stops making enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as effectively as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, which is known as glucose. People suffering from type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to make it work properly.
The blood sugar levels rise as time passes in both types of diabetes. This can lead to issues with your eyes, kidneys and feet. It can also damage your brain and heart arteries.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, meaning that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. This process can take months or years before eventually resulting in the total absence of insulin.
Insulin is a requirement for people with type 1 diabetes every day. They also must monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust their food, insulin and activity levels in order to keep their blood sugar within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes your body doesn’t make use of insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormonal substance that assists your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells which can then be used to create energy.
People suffering from type 2 diabetes must treat their condition with a healthy diet and exercise. They might also need to take medicine to control their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects all races as well as ethnic groups, ages, and genders. However women are at higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to suffer from complications, like heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication), and vision loss.
Polydipsia is a warning sign for women with diabetes. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to build up in your bloodstream, and your kidneys cannot remove it.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
In diabetes the cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This is usually due to the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. The body then attempts to lower the level by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty and require to drink lots of fluids.
Men can also experience weight loss since their muscles are broken down by their bodies for energy, instead of fat. This is because blood sugar levels are high for long periods.
Diabetes diet
Making a balanced diabetes diet is a crucial aspect of managing your condition. It can help control blood sugar levels, manage weight and reduce the risk factors for heart diseases.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products and legumes are great choices. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You may also want to limit the amount of sugar-sweetened drinks you consume. These drinks typically contain plenty of sugar in them that can cause high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may suggest diabetic medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in the normal range. These medications are often combined with changes in lifestyle, like exercise and diet to manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t controlled on one medicine then a second medication could be added. Your doctor will guide you to choose the best medicine for your preferences and needs.
Newer medications, such as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while decreasing the chance of developing complications. They also aid in weight loss, and they come in both tablets and injections.