Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that is affecting millions of people each year. It is caused when your body isn’t producing enough insulin, or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and can be avoided or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It is also crucial to be aware of the signs, so you can determine whether you are suffering from a condition and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) disease that affects the way your body turns food into energy. It happens when your pancreas stops making enough insulin, or fails to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and use glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin, or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it in a proper way.
In both forms of diabetes, blood sugar levels become too high over time. This can lead to problems in the kidneys, eyes and feet. It can also harm the blood vessels in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, meaning that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells inside the pancreas. This destruction can happen over months or years and eventually lead to the complete absence 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 levels of exercise to keep their blood sugar levels within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not make insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells take blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetes sufferers have to manage their condition by eating a balanced diet and regular exercise. They may also need to take medications to manage their blood sugar levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races and ethnic groups as well as ages and genders. Women are at greater risk than men.
Women who suffer from diabetes are more likely to experience complications, such as heart disease (the most common complication associated with diabetes), and vision loss.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for women with diabetes. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood, and your kidneys aren’t equipped to get rid of it in a proper manner.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
Diabetes is a condition in which cells are unable to use glucose (blood sugar) to generate energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This results in elevated blood sugar levels. Your body attempts to reduce these levels by flushing the excess glucose out of your bloodstream via urine.
Patients with diabetes typically have a thirsty feeling and must drink large quantities of fluids, as much as four liters daily.
Men may also experience weight loss since their bodies break down muscle for energy, instead of fat. This is due to their blood sugar levels are high for long periods.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet with a low-carbohydrate diet can be a key part of managing the condition. It can help control blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
You should include whole foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products and legumes are excellent choices. It should be free of added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You might want to limit your intake of sweetened drinks with sugar. These drinks are often high in sugar which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medication to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within normal levels. These medications are usually combined with lifestyle changes, like eating habits and physical activity to manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not being managed well with one medication, you may need to take a different medication. Your doctor will assist you to determine the best medication for your specific needs and preferences.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon like antagonists for the peptide-1 receptor, decrease blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while decreasing the risk of developing complications. They are also useful for weight loss and are available in tablets and injections.