Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions each year. It is caused because the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or use the insulin that 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 crucial to be aware of the signs, to determine whether you are suffering from a condition and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long-lasting), which alters how your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas does not produce enough insulin or fails to properly use it.
Insulin is a hormone that helps cells absorb and utilize sugar, which is called glucose. People with type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies don’t make it in a proper way.
The blood sugar levels increase with time in both forms of diabetes. This can lead to problems with the eyes, feet, and kidneys. It could also cause damage to blood vessels in your heart as well as the brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and means that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. The destruction can take place over months or years before eventually resulting in an inability to produce insulin.
Insulin is needed by people who suffer from type 1 diabetes each day. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and levels of activity to keep their blood sugar levels within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body is not functioning as insulin 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 as energy.
People suffering from type 2 diabetes need to treat their diabetes by eating a balanced diet and regular exercise. They might also need to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are afflicted with symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects all races and ethnicities age, genders, and ages. Women are more at risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience complications, like heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes), and vision loss.
Polydipsia is a sign of warning for diabetes in women. This is because diabetes causes excess sugar to build up in the bloodstream and your kidneys aren’t equipped to eliminate it effectively.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
In diabetes the cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This usually happens because the pancreas produces insufficient insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. The body tries to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose out of your bloodstream through urine.
People who have diabetes often have a thirsty feeling and must drink large quantities of fluids, as much as 4 liters a day.
Men can also shed weight as their bodies rely on muscles to generate energy, not fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay elevated for long periods.
Diabetes diet
A balanced diet for diabetes can be an essential part of managing the condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels and weight, as well as reduce the risk factors for heart disease.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products, beans, and legumes are excellent choices. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You may also want to limit the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks typically contain high levels of sugar in them, which can lead to elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medication to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These drugs are often paired with changes in lifestyle, like exercise and diet to manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well managed on one medication it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor will guide you to choose the best medicine to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer medications like glucagon-like receptor agonists, peptide-1, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors reduce blood sugar levels, provide kidney and cardiovascular benefits and reduce the risk of complications. They are also beneficial for weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.