Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that is affecting millions of people each year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when it’s unable to utilize the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it is curable and treated or delayed through diet, exercise and medications. It is also important to be aware of the signs, so you can tell whether you are suffering from a condition and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long-lasting), which alters how your body converts food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or is unable to properly use it.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body to absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics do not produce enough insulin, or their bodies cannot use it in a proper way.
In both forms of diabetes, the blood sugar levels are too high in time. This can cause problems with your feet, eyes, and kidneys. It may also damage the heart and brain arteries as well as your brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic insulin-producing cells and destroys them. The destruction can take place over several months or even years and eventually lead to an absence of insulin.
Insulin is a requirement for people with type 1 diabetes all day. They also have to keep track of their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and activities to keep their blood sugar levels within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body does not use insulin the way it should. Insulin is a hormone which helps your cells to remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetes sufferers must treat their condition by consuming a balanced diet and exercise. They may also have to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
It is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnicities and genders. Women are more susceptible than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to experience complications, including heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication), and vision loss.
One of the first signs of women suffering from diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urination, called polydipsia. This is due to diabetes causing excessive sugar to accumulate in the bloodstream and your kidneys aren’t able to filter it out effectively.
Diabetes in men Men: Symptoms
Diabetes is a condition where cells are not able to use glucose (blood sugar) to generate energy. This usually happens because the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. Your body attempts to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and they need to drink plenty of fluids.
Men can also lose weight as their bodies make use of muscles for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diabetes diet can be a key part of managing the condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar levels, reduce your weight and the risk of heart disease by reducing risk factors.
Your diet should include plenty of whole foods, such as fruits whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be low in saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may also consider limiting the amount of sugar-sweetened drinks you consume. These drinks typically contain high levels of sugar in them that can cause high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These drugs are often paired with lifestyle changes, like physical activity and diet, to help manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well managed by one medication it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor will assist you to determine the most appropriate medicine for your requirements and preferences.
Newer medicines like glucagon-like receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors reduce blood sugar levels, offer kidney and cardiovascular benefits and lower the risk of complications. They also aid in weight loss and are available in tablets and injections.