Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that is affecting millions of people each year. It happens when your body isn’t producing enough insulin or it’s unable to utilize the insulin it does have effectively.
Diet, exercise and medication can help to prevent or delay the disease. It is also crucial to recognize the signs to determine whether there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long-lasting) that impacts the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as well as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that helps cells absorb and utilize sugar, which is known as glucose. People with type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to make it work properly.
In both types of diabetes, the blood sugar levels are too high over time. This can lead to issues in the kidneys, eyes and feet. It could also harm your brain and heart arteries.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease which means that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells inside the pancreas. The destruction can take place over many years or months, eventually leading to the total absence of insulin.
Insulin is needed by people who suffer from type 1 diabetes each 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 normal range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body is not functioning as insulin 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 diabetics need to exercise and follow a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to regulate their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are afflicted with symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races, ethnic groups as well as ages and genders. However, women are at a higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes have a greater chance of developing complications compared to men, such as heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and loss of vision.
One of the first signs of women suffering from diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urinary frequency, also known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to accumulate in your bloodstream, and your kidneys cannot filter it out.
Men with diabetes The signs and symptoms
Diabetes is a condition that occurs when cells are unable to utilize glucose (blood sugar) for energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This can lead to elevated blood sugar levels. Your body then tries to reduce these levels by flushing the excess glucose out of your bloodstream via urine.
People suffering from diabetes frequently are thirsty and have to drink large quantities of fluids, up to four liters per day.
Men also may lose weight since their bodies utilize muscles for energy instead of fat. This is because blood sugar levels stay high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Making a balanced diabetes diet is a crucial aspect of managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar levels, control your weight, and reduce the risk of heart disease by reducing risk factors.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole food items, including fruits, whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You may be advised to limit your consumption of sweetened drinks with sugar. These drinks often have high levels of sugar in them and can cause high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medication to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the normal range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes, such as exercise and diet to help control your diabetes.
If your blood sugar is not being controlled by one medicine, you may need to add a second medication. Your doctor will assist you select the right medicine to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer medicines like glucagon-like receptor agonists, peptide-1, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors lower blood sugar levels, provide cardiovascular and kidney benefits, and reduce the risk of complications. They also aid in weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.