Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions each year. It occurs when the body is unable to produce enough insulin, or fails to use the insulin that it has effectively.
The good news is that it can be treated and can be prevented or delayed by diet, exercise and medications. It’s also crucial to be aware of the symptoms to know whether something is wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that affects how your body turns food into energy. It happens when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or fails to properly use it.
Insulin is a hormone that assists cells absorb and utilize 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 in a proper way.
The blood sugar levels rise as time passes in both types of diabetes. This can lead to problems with your feet, eyes and kidneys. It can also damage the heart and brain arteries as well as your brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks pancreatic insulin-producing cells and destroys them. The destruction can take place over months or years until it eventually leads to a total lack of insulin.
Insulin is required by those who suffer from type 1 diabetes each day. They also have to keep track of their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and activity levels to keep their blood sugar in an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not use insulin the way it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells to remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells so that it can be used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and follow a healthy diet. They also may need to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are afflicted with symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people from all races, ethnicities, ages and genders. Women are at greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to experience complications, like heart disease (the most frequent diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia can be a warning sign for women who suffer from diabetes. This is due to diabetes causing excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to eliminate it in a proper manner.
Men with diabetes Men: Symptoms
Diabetes is a disease in which cells are unable to use glucose (blood sugar) for energy. This usually happens because the pancreas is producing too little insulin.
This can lead to high blood sugar levels. Your body then attempts to reduce these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
People with diabetes are typically thirsty, and need to drink plenty of fluids.
Men can also experience weight loss because their bodies break down muscle to make energy instead of fat. This is because their blood sugar levels remain high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diabetes diet can be an essential part of managing the condition. It can help you control blood sugar, control your weight, and reduce risk factors for heart disease.
You should include whole food items in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products such as beans, legumes, and beans are a good choice. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You may be advised to limit your consumption of sweetened drinks with sugar. These drinks are often packed with sugar and can cause blood sugar levels to increase.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might recommend diabetes medications to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in an acceptable range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes such as eating habits and exercise to help manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not being adequately controlled with one medication, you might need to add a second medication. Your doctor will work with you to choose the most appropriate medicine for your specific needs and preferences.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon like peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the chance of developing complications. They’re also helpful for weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.