Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that is affecting millions of people each year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it can’t use the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It is also essential 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 a chronic health condition (long-lasting), which alters how your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or isn’t able to use it correctly.
Insulin is a hormone that assists cells absorb and utilize sugar, also known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics don’t make enough insulin, or their bodies aren’t able to use it effectively.
The blood sugar levels increase over time in both kinds of diabetes. This can cause issues with your eyes, feet, and kidneys. It could also cause damage to coronary arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic cells that produce insulin, and destroys them. This process can last for months or even years, eventually resulting in an absence of insulin.
Insulin is a requirement for people with type 1 diabetes every day. They must also keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activities to keep their blood sugar within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body may not use insulin the way it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells to remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells so that it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and follow a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to regulate their blood sugar levels.
Signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people from all races, ethnicities, and genders. However women are at greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes are at a greater risk chance of developing complications compared to men, such as heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia can be a warning sign for diabetes in women. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to accumulate in your blood and your kidneys are not able to filter it out.
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 typically because the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body will then try to lower the level by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream through urine.
People with diabetes are typically thirsty and require to drink plenty of fluids.
The men may also lose weight since their bodies rely on muscles for energy instead of fat. This is due to their blood sugar levels are elevated for long periods.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is an important part of managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar, reduce your weight and heart disease risk factors.
Your diet should include plenty of whole foods, such as fruits vegetables, whole grains beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You may be advised to limit your consumption of drinks sweetened with sugar. These drinks typically contain a lot of sugar in them that can cause elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are typically used with lifestyle changes such as eating habits and exercise to help manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not being controlled by one medicine, you may need to take a different medication. Your doctor will help you choose the best medicine to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer medications, such as sodium-glucose -cotransporter-2 inhibitors, and glucagon peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower blood sugar and have benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while decreasing the risk of complications. They also aid in weight loss, and come in both tablets and injections.