Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that affects millions of people each year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when it’s not able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it can be treated and treated or delayed through diet, exercise and medications. It’s important to be aware of symptoms to be able to tell what’s wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health problem (long-lasting) that affects the way your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas does not produce enough insulin or is unable to use it properly.
Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells absorb and use sugar, which is called glucose. Type 2 diabetics aren’t producing enough insulin, or their bodies are unable to use it properly.
The blood sugar levels rise over time in both types of diabetes. This can lead to problems with your eyes, kidneys and feet. It may also cause damage to the blood vessels in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction which means that your immune system attacks the insulin-producing pancreatic cells and destroys them. The destruction can take place over months or even years and eventually lead to an absence of insulin.
Insulin is a requirement for people with type 1 diabetes every day. They must also keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and activity levels to keep their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not make use of 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 follow a healthy diet. They may also have to take medication to manage their blood glucose levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races, ethnicities and genders. However women are at higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes are more prone to suffer from complications, including heart disease (the most common complication associated with diabetes) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia is a sign of warning for women suffering from diabetes. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in your blood and the kidneys aren’t able remove it in a proper manner.
Diabetes in men The signs and symptoms
In the case of diabetes it is when cells are unable make use of blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This usually happens because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin.
This leads to high blood sugar levels. Your body then tries to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes typically are thirsty and have to drink large amounts of fluids, as much as four liters a day.
Men may also experience weight loss since their muscles are broken down by their bodies for energy, instead of fat. This is due to the fact that the blood sugar level stays high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Making a balanced diabetes diet is a key element in managing your condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar levels, reduce your weight and heart disease risk factors.
Your diet should comprise plenty of whole foods, such as fruits vegetables, whole grains as well as beans and dairy that is low in fat. It should be free of added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You might need to limit your consumption of beverages sweetened with sugar. These drinks typically contain high levels of sugar which can result in high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes-related medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These medications are typically combined with changes in lifestyle, like exercise and diet to help manage the condition.
If your blood sugar is not well controlled with one medication, you might 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 as well as glucagon antagonists for the peptide-1 receptor, decrease blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the risk of developing complications. They are also useful for weight loss, and come in both tablets and injections.