Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people every year. It occurs when the body fails to produce enough insulin, or fails to use the insulin that it does have effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and treated or delayed through diet, exercise and medication. It is also essential to be aware of the symptoms to be able to tell what’s wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) disease that affects how your body transforms food into energy. It happens when the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or is unable to utilize it in a proper manner.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and utilize glucose, also referred to as sugar. Type 2 diabetics aren’t producing enough insulin or their bodies cannot use it properly.
The blood sugar levels rise with time in both forms of diabetes. This can cause issues with your feet, eyes, and kidneys. It may also cause damage to the blood vessels in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction which means that your immune system attacks pancreatic cells that produce insulin and destroys them. This process can last for many months or even years until it leads to a complete lack of insulin.
Insulin is required by those with type 1 diabetes all day. They must also keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activity levels to maintain their blood sugar within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 the body isn’t using insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells move glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells where it can be utilized to generate energy.
People with type 2 diabetes have to manage their condition with a healthy diet and exercise. They also may need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races, ethnicities and genders. However women are at a higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to suffer from complications, like heart disease (the most common complication associated with diabetes), and vision loss.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for women suffering from diabetes. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your blood, and your kidneys cannot eliminate it.
Diabetes in men Men: Symptoms
Diabetes is a condition where cells are unable to use glucose (blood sugar) as energy source. This usually happens because the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. The body then attempts to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty, and they have to drink plenty of fluids.
Men may also experience weight loss as their muscles are broken down by their bodies for energy, instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels remain high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is a vital aspect of managing your condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar levels, manage your weight, and lower heart disease risk factors.
Your diet should comprise plenty of whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains as well as beans and dairy that is low in fat. It should be low in saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may consider limiting your consumption of drinks that are sweetened with sugar. These drinks usually contain lots of sugar and can cause elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might recommend diabetes medication to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in the normal range. These medications are typically used with lifestyle changes such as eating habits and exercise to manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t managed by one medication, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor will assist you pick the best medication for your preferences and needs.
Newer medications, like sodium-glucose -cotransporter-2 inhibitors, and glucagon antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as decreasing the chance of developing complications. They also help with weight loss and come in both tablet and injection forms.