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’s not able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medication can all help in preventing or delaying the onset of the disease. It is also essential 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 illness (long-lasting), which affects the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or fails to use it properly.
Insulin is a hormone that assists cells absorb and utilize sugar, which is known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce 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 cause issues with the eyes, kidneys and feet. It can also harm the blood vessels in your heart as well as the 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. The destruction can happen over months or even years and eventually lead to an absence of insulin.
Insulin is required by people with type 1 diabetes every day. They also need to monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust their food, insulin and activity levels in order to keep their blood glucose within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes your body may not make insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormonal substance that helps your cells move glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, where it can be used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and adhere to a healthy diet. They may also have to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Signs of women having diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all races as well as ethnic groups as well as ages and genders. However women are at greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more likely to develop complications, such as heart disease (the most frequent diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for women suffering from diabetes. This is because diabetes can create excess sugar in your blood, and your kidneys cannot filter it out.
The signs of diabetes in men
Diabetes is a condition where cells are unable to utilize glucose (blood sugar) to generate energy. This is typically because the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body then tries to lower the levels by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream through urine.
People suffering from diabetes frequently experience thirst and require to drink large amounts of fluids, up to 4 liters a day.
Men also may lose weight because their bodies utilize muscles for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels remain high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is a crucial aspect of managing your condition. It can help control blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
Your diet should comprise plenty of whole foods like fruits, whole grains, vegetables, beans and low-fat dairy. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You might need to limit your consumption of beverages sweetened with sugar. These drinks are often high in sugar which can cause blood sugar levels in the body to increase.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the normal range. These medicines are usually combined with lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise to help you manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar is not being controlled by one medication, you might require a second medication. Your doctor will guide you to pick the best medication to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer medications, like sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon like antagonists for the peptide-1 receptor, decrease blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the risk of developing complications. They are also useful for weight loss and are available in tablets and injections.