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 have effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and avoided or delayed with diet, exercise and medication. It is also essential to be aware of the signs, so you can determine whether there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that affects how your body turns food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or isn’t able to properly use it.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, also known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics aren’t producing enough insulin, or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it in a proper way.
The blood sugar levels increase over time in both kinds 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 as well as the brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, meaning that the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. This destruction can happen over months or years until it eventually leads to an inability to produce insulin.
Type 1 diabetics require insulin every day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their the insulin, food and activity levels in order to keep their blood sugar within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes the body does not utilize insulin in the way it should. Insulin is a hormonal substance that aids in the movement of glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, which is then used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and eat a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Symptoms of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnic groups age, genders, and ages. Women are at greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most commonly reported diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for women suffering from diabetes. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to accumulate in your bloodstream and kidneys are unable to filter it out.
Symptoms of diabetes in men
In diabetes, cells are unable to 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 attempts to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty, and need to drink plenty of fluids.
Men may be able to experience weight loss too as 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 prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diabetes diet can be a key part of managing the condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage your weight and reduce the risk of heart disease by reducing risk factors.
You should include whole foods in your diet, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products and legumes are good choices. It should be low in saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may want to limit your intake of sweetened drinks with sugar. These drinks are usually packed with sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medication to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These medications are often combined with changes to your lifestyle, such as diet and physical activity, to help manage the condition.
If your blood sugar is not being controlled by one medication, you might need to add a second medication. Your doctor can help you determine the most appropriate medicine for your personal preferences and needs.
Newer medicines like glucagon-like receptor antagonists for peptide-1 and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors reduce blood sugar levels, have cardiovascular and kidney benefits, and reduce the risk of complications. They also help with weight loss, and are available in tablet and injection forms.