Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people each year. It is caused when the body does not produce enough insulin or make use of the insulin it produces effectively.
The good news is that it is treatable and prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medication. It is also essential to be aware of the signs, so you can identify whether you have a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) health condition that affects the way your body turns food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and use glucose, also referred to as sugar. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin or aren’t able to utilize it correctly.
The blood sugar levels rise with time in both forms of diabetes. This can cause problems with the eyes, feet, and kidneys. It could also harm your brain and heart arteries.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction which means that your immune system attacks insulin-producing pancreatic cells and destroys them. The destruction can take place over months or years and eventually lead to an inability to produce insulin.
Type 1 diabetics require insulin every day. They must also keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and levels of exercise to keep their blood sugar in the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 your body isn’t producing insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormonal substance that helps your cells move glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, where it is utilized to generate energy.
People with type 2 diabetes must treat their condition through a healthy diet and exercise. They may also have to take medication to regulate their blood glucose levels.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races and ethnic groups age, genders, and ages. However women are at higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes have a greater chance of developing complications than men, such as heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and vision loss.
One of the early warning signs of women with diabetes is a higher thirst and increased the frequency of urination, which is known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in your blood and your kidneys aren’t equipped to filter it out effectively.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
In the case of diabetes the cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This is usually because the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.
This results in elevated blood sugar levels. Your body will then try to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
People suffering from diabetes frequently feel thirsty and need to drink large amounts of fluids, as much as four liters a day.
Men also may shed weight as their bodies utilize muscles for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay high for extended periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet with a low-carbohydrate diet is a crucial aspect of managing the condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar, reduce your weight and the risk of heart disease by reducing risk factors.
You should include whole food items in your diet, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products as well as legumes, beans and beans are good choices. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You might consider limiting your consumption of drinks sweetened with sugar. These drinks usually contain a lot of sugar which can result in high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within the normal range. These medications are usually combined with lifestyle changes, like diet and physical activity, to help manage the condition.
If your blood sugar is not well controlled with one medication, you might need to add a second medication. Your doctor will assist you pick the best medication to meet your needs and preferences.
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, while reducing the chance of developing complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss, and come in both tablets and injections.