Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that affects millions of people each year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can all help in preventing or delaying the development of the disease. It’s also important to be aware of symptoms so you can tell what’s wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) disease that affects the way your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas stops producing enough insulin, or fails to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies are unable to use it correctly.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels get too high over time. This can cause issues with the kidneys, eyes and feet. It could also cause damage to 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 the absence of insulin completely.
Insulin is a requirement for people with type 1 diabetes every day. They must also keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and levels of exercise to maintain their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes the body does not make insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells so that it can be used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetics have to exercise and eat a balanced diet. They also may need to take medications to manage their blood sugar levels.
Signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnic groups as well as ages and genders. However, women are at a higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to develop complications, such as heart disease (the most frequent diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
One of the early signs of diabetes in women is a rise in thirst and urine, a condition known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your blood and kidneys can’t eliminate it.
Symptoms of diabetes in men
Diabetes is a condition in which cells are unable use glucose (blood sugar) as energy. This is usually because the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. The body then attempts to lower these levels by flushing out the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
People with diabetes are typically thirsty, and they need to drink lots of fluids.
Men may also lose weight since their bodies utilize muscle for energy rather than fat. This is because blood sugar levels are high for long periods.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diabetes diet is an important aspect of managing the condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels, reduce your weight and the risk of developing heart disease.
You should include whole food items in your diet, including fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products as well as legumes, beans and beans are excellent choices. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You might want to limit your intake of sweetened drinks with sugar. These drinks usually contain a lot of sugar in them which can result in high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may suggest diabetes medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in the normal range. These medications are typically used with lifestyle changes such as exercising and diet to manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not being managed well with one medication, you might require a second medication. Your doctor will guide you to pick the best medication for your preferences and needs.
Newer drugs like glucagonlike receptor antagonists for peptide-1 and sodium-glucose inhibitors that lower blood sugar, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits and lower the risk of complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.