Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people each year. It occurs when your body isn’t producing enough insulin or it’s unable to utilize the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and can be treated or delayed through diet, exercise and medication. It is also essential to understand the symptoms so you can tell if there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that affects how your body transforms food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as well as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists cells absorb and utilize sugar, which is called glucose. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin or cannot use it properly.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels are too high over time. This can lead to issues with the kidneys, eyes and feet. It can also damage the arteries in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic cells that produce insulin, and destroys them. This process can take many years or months before eventually resulting in a total lack of insulin.
People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day. They also have to keep track of their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and levels of exercise to maintain their blood sugar within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your 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 which is then utilized to generate energy.
Type 2 diabetics have to exercise and eat a healthy diet. They may also have to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects all races as well as ethnic groups age, genders, and ages. However, women are at a greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more likely to suffer from complications, such as heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication), and vision loss.
One of the first signs of women with diabetes is a rise in thirst and urinary frequency, also known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood, and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to get rid of it effectively.
The signs of diabetes in men
In the case of diabetes the cells are unable use blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is typically because the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. Your body then tries to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose out of your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty and require to drink lots of fluids.
Men also may lose weight as their bodies use muscle for energy rather than fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar level remains high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet with a low-carbohydrate diet is a crucial aspect of managing the condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels and weight, as well as reduce the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
Your diet should include plenty of whole foods, such as fruits, whole grains, vegetables beans, and low-fat dairy. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You might also need to limit the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks often have plenty of sugar which can result in high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may suggest diabetes medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in normal levels. These medications are typically combined with changes to your lifestyle, such as exercise and diet to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar is not being controlled by one medication, you might need to take a different medication. Your doctor will work with you to choose the most appropriate medicine for your needs and preferences.
Newer medications, like sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as reducing the risk of developing complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss, and come in both tablets and injections.