Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people every year. It happens when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when it’s not able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medication can all help in preventing or delaying the progression of the disease. It’s also crucial to be aware of the symptoms to be able to tell whether something is wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health issue that affects the way your body transforms food into energy. It happens when your pancreas stops producing enough insulin, or fails to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, which is called glucose. People suffering from type 2 diabetes don’t make enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it correctly.
The blood sugar levels rise as time passes in both types of diabetes. This can lead to problems with your eyes, feet, and kidneys. It could also harm your brain and heart arteries.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease, meaning that the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells inside the pancreas. This destruction can happen over months or even years before eventually resulting in the complete absence of insulin.
Insulin is needed by people with type 1 diabetes all day. They also need to monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust insulin, food and activity levels in order to keep their blood glucose within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes the body does not utilize insulin in the way it should. Insulin is a hormone which helps your cells get blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and eat a healthy diet. They also may need to take medicine to control their blood sugar levels.
Signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnicities, and genders. However women are at a greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to suffer from complications, such as heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia is a sign of warning for women suffering from diabetes. This is due to diabetes causing excess sugar to build up in the bloodstream and your kidneys aren’t able to filter it out properly.
Men with diabetes Men: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes, cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas is producing too little insulin.
This leads to high blood sugar levels. Your body will then try to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty and require to drink a lot of fluids.
Men may also experience weight loss as their bodies break down muscle for energy instead of fat. This is because blood sugar levels stay high for long periods.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diabetes diet can be a key part of managing the condition. It can help control blood sugar levels, manage weight and reduce risk factors for heart disease.
You should include whole food items in your diet, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products and legumes are great choices. It should be free of added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You might need to limit your consumption of drinks sweetened with sugar. These drinks often have a lot of sugar and can cause elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medication to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise to help you manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well controlled on one medicine, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor will work with you to determine the most appropriate medicine for your needs and preferences.
Newer drugs like glucagonlike receptor antagonists for peptide-1 and sodium-glucose COtransporter-2 inhibitors decrease blood sugar levels, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits, and reduce the risk of complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.