Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that affects millions of people each year. It is caused when your body isn’t producing enough insulin, or it’s not able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medication can aid in preventing or reducing the disease. It is also essential to be aware of the symptoms to be able to tell what’s wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health issue (long-lasting), which alters how your body converts food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or can’t use it as effectively as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and utilize glucose, also referred to as sugar. Type 2 diabetics aren’t producing enough insulin or their bodies are unable to use it correctly.
The blood sugar levels increase with time in both forms of diabetes. This can lead to problems with your feet, eyes, and kidneys. It could also cause damage to arteries in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease which means that the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells inside the pancreas. This process can take months or years until it eventually leads to a total lack of insulin.
People suffering from type 1 diabetes must take insulin each day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activities to maintain their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes your body doesn’t make 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 follow a healthy diet. They may also have to take medication to regulate their blood glucose levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects all races and ethnic groups and ages as well as genders. Women are at higher risk than men.
Women who suffer from diabetes are more likely to experience complications, including heart disease (the most common complication associated with diabetes) and loss of vision.
One of the early warning signs of women with diabetes is increased thirst and the frequency of urination, which is known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to accumulate in your bloodstream and kidneys are unable to filter it out.
Diabetes in men: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes, cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This usually happens because the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This leads to high blood sugar levels. Your body then attempts to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
People suffering from diabetes frequently are thirsty and have to drink large amounts of fluids, up to four liters per day.
Men can also experience weight loss since their bodies break down muscle to make energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar level remains high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A balanced diet for diabetes is an important aspect of managing the condition. It can help you control blood sugar, control your weight, and reduce risk factors for heart disease.
Your diet should include plenty of whole foods, including fruits whole grains, vegetables beans, and low-fat dairy. It should be low in added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You may also need to limit the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks often have high levels of sugar in them which can result in high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes-related medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the normal range. These medications are often combined with changes in lifestyle, like eating habits and physical activity to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not being managed well with one medication, you may require a second medication. Your doctor will guide you to select the right medicine for your preferences and needs.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptors, lower blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the chance of developing complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss and come in both tablets and injections.