Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that is affecting millions of people each year. It happens when the body fails to make enough insulin or use the insulin that it produces effectively.
The good news is that it is curable and can be avoided or delayed with diet, exercise and medication. It is also essential to be aware of symptoms to be able to tell if something is wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health problem (long-lasting), which alters the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas stops producing 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 known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin or aren’t able to utilize it effectively.
In both forms of diabetes, the blood sugar levels get excessively high over time. This can lead to problems with your feet, eyes, and kidneys. It may also cause damage to the coronary arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder, meaning that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells inside the pancreas. This destruction can happen over months or years before eventually resulting in a total lack of insulin.
People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin each day. They also have to keep track of their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activity levels to keep 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 remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and follow a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Symptoms of diabetes in women
It is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnicities, ages and genders. However women are at higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications than men, such as heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and vision loss.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for women who suffer from diabetes. This is because diabetes can create excess sugar in your bloodstream and kidneys can’t remove it.
Men with diabetes: Symptoms
In diabetes, cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas is producing too little insulin.
This causes elevated blood sugar levels. Your body then attempts to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty and require to drink lots of fluids.
Men may be able to experience weight loss too as their bodies break down muscle to make 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 balanced diet for diabetes is a crucial aspect of managing the condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar levels, reduce your weight and heart disease risk factors.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products and legumes are great choices. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You may also consider limiting the amount of sugar-sweetened beverages you consume. These drinks are typically packed with sugar which can cause blood sugar levels to increase.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might recommend diabetes medications to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in a normal range. These medications are often combined with lifestyle changes, like eating habits and physical activity to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well managed by one medication, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor will assist you to pick the best medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
The latest medications, including 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 complications. They also help with weight loss and are available in tablet and injection forms.