Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people each year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it can’t use the insulin it does produce effectively.
Diet, exercise and medication can aid in preventing or reducing the development of the disease. It is important to be aware of the signs, so you can tell whether you have a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health issue (long-lasting) that impacts the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or isn’t able to properly use it.
Insulin is a hormone that assists cells absorb and utilize sugar, which is called glucose. Type 2 diabetics do not produce enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to use it correctly.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels are too high in time. This can lead to problems with your eyes, feet and kidneys. It could also cause damage to coronary arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is 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 until it eventually leads to an inability to produce insulin.
Insulin is required by those who suffer from type 1 diabetes each day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and levels of activity to keep their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes your body may not make use of insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells take blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetics have to exercise and eat a balanced diet. They may also have to take medication to manage their blood glucose levels.
Women with diabetes are afflicted with symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnicities and genders. Women are at higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes have a greater chance of developing complications compared to men, including heart disease (the most frequent diabetes complication) and vision loss.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for women who suffer from diabetes. This is because diabetes causes excess sugar to build up in the blood, and your kidneys aren’t able to eliminate it correctly.
Men with diabetes: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes the cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is typically because the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. Your body attempts to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
People who have diabetes often experience thirst and require to drink large amounts of fluids, as much as four liters a day.
Men can 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 their blood sugar levels stay high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is a crucial aspect of managing your condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels, reduce your weight and the risk of heart disease by reducing risk factors.
Your diet should include plenty of whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and low-fat dairy. It should be free of added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You might want to limit your intake of drinks sweetened with sugar. These drinks are typically high in sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels in the body to increase.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes-related medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These medicines are usually combined with lifestyle changes such as exercise and diet to help manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t managed by one medication it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor will work with you to determine the most appropriate medication for your specific needs and preferences.
The latest medications, including sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar levels and provide benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the chance of developing complications. They are also useful for weight loss and are available in tablet and injection forms.