Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that affects millions of people each year. It happens when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when it’s unable to utilize the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it can be treated and prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It is also important to understand the symptoms to determine whether you have a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas stops producing enough insulin, or fails to use it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body absorb and use glucose, also referred to as sugar. People suffering from type 2 diabetes don’t make enough insulin or their bodies don’t utilize it correctly.
In both forms of diabetes, the blood sugar levels get too high over time. This can lead to problems with your feet, eyes and kidneys. It could also harm the heart and brain arteries as well as your 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 take place over several years or even decades and eventually lead to an inability to produce insulin.
Type 1 diabetics require insulin every day. They must also keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activities to maintain their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 your body isn’t functioning as insulin 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 as energy.
Type 2 diabetes sufferers need to treat their diabetes by eating a balanced diet and regular exercise. They may also have to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects all races and ethnic groups age, genders, and ages. Women are at greater risk than males.
Women with diabetes are more prone to develop complications, including heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
One early warning sign of women with diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urinary frequency, also known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the bloodstream and your kidneys aren’t able to filter it out effectively.
Men with diabetes: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes the cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This usually happens because the pancreas produces insufficient insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body attempts to reduce these levels by flushing the excess glucose out of your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and they need to drink lots of fluids.
Men can also lose weight as their bodies make use of muscles to generate energy, not fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is an important part of managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar levels control weight and reduce the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
You should include whole food items in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products as well as legumes, beans and beans are great choices. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You may want to limit your intake of sweetened drinks with sugar. These drinks are often packed with sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the normal range. These medications are usually combined with lifestyle changes, such as diet and physical activity, to help manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well controlled by one medicine then a second medication could be added. Your doctor will assist you pick the best medication for your preferences and needs.
Newer medications, such as sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar levels and provide benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the risk of developing complications. They are also beneficial for weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.