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 can’t use the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medication can help prevent or delay the onset of the disease. It’s important to be aware of the symptoms to be able to tell what’s wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic illness (long-lasting), which alters the way your body converts food into energy. It happens when the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or fails to properly use it.
Insulin is a hormone that helps cells absorb and utilize sugar, also known as glucose. People suffering from type 2 diabetes do not produce enough insulin, or their bodies can’t make it work properly.
The blood sugar levels rise over time in both types of diabetes. This can cause problems in the feet, eyes, and kidneys. It may also damage your brain and heart arteries.
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. The destruction can take place over several years or even decades 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 activities to keep their blood sugar levels within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes the body isn’t producing insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone which helps your cells remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used to create 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 disease that affects people of all races, ethnicities, ages and genders. Women are at higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to suffer from complications, like heart disease (the most frequent diabetes-related complication), and vision loss.
One of the early warning signs of diabetes in women is increased thirst and urine, a condition known as polydipsia. This is due to diabetes causing excess sugar to build up in your blood and your kidneys aren’t equipped to get rid of it correctly.
Men with diabetes Men: Symptoms
In diabetes, cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas produces insufficient insulin.
This results in high blood sugar levels. The body tries to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
People with diabetes frequently experience thirst and require to drink large amounts of fluids. This can be up to four liters per day.
Men can also experience weight loss as their muscles are broken down by their bodies for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that the blood sugar level stays high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is a key element in managing your condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar, reduce your weight and risk factors for heart disease.
Your diet should include plenty of whole foods like fruits, whole grains, vegetables beans, and low-fat dairy. It should be low in added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You may also want to limit the amount of drinks that contain sugar you consume. These drinks typically contain a lot of sugar in them, which can lead to high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might recommend diabetes medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within normal levels. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes like diet and exercise to manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t controlled by one medicine, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor will work with you to select the most appropriate medicine for your needs and preferences.
Newer medications such as glucagon-like receptor antagonists for peptide-1 and sodium-glucose COtransporter-2 inhibitors decrease blood sugar levels, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits and lower the risk of complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss, and are available in tablets and injections.