Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people every year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when it can’t use the insulin it does produce effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can all help in preventing or delaying the development of the disease. It’s also important to be aware of symptoms to be able to tell what’s wrong and get 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 produce enough insulin or isn’t able to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, which is called glucose. Type 2 diabetics aren’t producing enough insulin, or their bodies cannot use it in a proper way.
The blood sugar levels rise over time in both types of diabetes. This can lead to problems with the kidneys, eyes and feet. It could also harm your heart arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks pancreatic cells that produce insulin and destroys them. This destruction can happen over many years or months before eventually resulting in the total absence of insulin.
Type 1 diabetics must take insulin each day. They also have to keep track of 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 have type 2 the body isn’t making the insulin it needs to. Insulin is a hormone that aids in the movement of glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells where it can be used to create energy.
People suffering from type 2 diabetes need to treat their diabetes by consuming a balanced diet and regular exercise. They may also need to take medications to control their blood glucose levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects all races, ethnic groups age, genders, and ages. Women are at higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to suffer from complications, like heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
One of the first signs of women with diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urination, called polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood and your kidneys aren’t equipped to get rid of it effectively.
Diabetes in men The signs and symptoms
Diabetes is a condition where cells are unable to use glucose (blood sugar) as energy. This is usually because the pancreas produces insufficient insulin.
This causes elevated blood sugar levels. Your body then attempts to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty, and need to drink a lot of fluids.
Men may also shed weight as their bodies make use of muscles for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar level remains high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes is a crucial aspect of managing the condition. It can help control blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
Include whole foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products such as beans, legumes, and beans are a good choice. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You may also want to limit the amount of sugar-sweetened drinks you consume. These drinks often have a lot of sugar, which can lead to high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes-related medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes such as eating habits and exercise to help control your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t controlled by one medicine then a second medication could be added. Your doctor will work with you to pick the best medication for your requirements and preferences.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon like antagonists for the peptide-1 receptor, decrease blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the risk of developing complications. They also help with weight loss, and come in both tablet and injection forms.