Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people every year. It occurs because the body doesn’t make enough insulin or make use of the insulin it has effectively.
The good news is that it is curable and can be avoided or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It is also important to recognize the signs to determine whether you are suffering from a condition and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) disease that affects how your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or fails to use it properly.
Insulin is a hormone that assists cells absorb and utilize sugar, which is known as glucose. People with type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin, or their bodies can’t make it work properly.
The blood sugar levels rise over time in both kinds of diabetes. This can cause issues with the eyes, kidneys and feet. It can also damage the heart and brain arteries as well as your brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease which means that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. This process can take many years or months, eventually leading to an inability to produce insulin.
People suffering from type 1 diabetes must take insulin each day. They also need to monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust their insulin, food and activity levels to keep their blood sugar within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body doesn’t 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 where it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and follow a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all races and ethnic groups age, genders, and ages. Women are more at risk than males.
Women with diabetes are more prone to develop complications, like heart disease (the most common complication associated with diabetes) and loss of vision.
One of the early signs of women with diabetes is a rise in thirst and urine, a condition known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to build up in your blood and kidneys are unable to filter it out.
The signs of diabetes in men
Diabetes is a condition that occurs when cells are unable to use glucose (blood sugar) to generate energy. This usually happens because the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This results in elevated blood sugar levels. Your body then attempts to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose out of your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty and require to drink a lot of fluids.
Men may also lose weight since their bodies rely on muscles to generate energy, not fat. This is due to their blood sugar levels are high for extended periods.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is a key element in managing your diabetes. It can help you manage your blood sugar, manage your weight and reduce heart disease risk factors.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole food items, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and low-fat dairy. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You may consider limiting your consumption of drinks that are sweetened with sugar. These drinks are often high in sugar and can cause blood sugar levels in the body to increase.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are usually combined with changes in lifestyle, like exercise and diet to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar is not being controlled by one medication, you may need to add a second medication. Your doctor will guide you to determine the most appropriate medicine to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer medications, like sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar and have benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as reducing the risk of developing complications. They also aid in weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.