Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions each year. It happens when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it can’t use the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it is curable and prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It’s also important to be aware of symptoms so you can tell whether something is wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that affects how your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or isn’t able to use it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that helps cells absorb and utilize sugar, which is known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics do not produce enough insulin or their bodies are unable to use it properly.
In both forms of diabetes, blood sugar levels become excessively high over time. This can lead to problems with the eyes, feet and kidneys. It may also damage your brain and heart arteries.
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. The destruction can take place over months or even years and eventually lead to an inability to produce insulin.
People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and levels of activity to keep their blood sugar levels within the normal range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 the body isn’t producing insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells take blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used as energy.
People suffering from type 2 diabetes need to treat their diabetes by eating a balanced diet and regular exercise. They may also have to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
Symptoms 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 who suffer from diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most commonly reported diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
One of the first signs of women with diabetes is a rise in thirst and the frequency of urination, which is known as polydipsia. This is due to diabetes causing excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood and your kidneys aren’t able to filter it out effectively.
Symptoms of diabetes in men
Diabetes is a disease in which cells are unable to use glucose (blood sugar) as energy source. This usually happens 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 out the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty and require to drink lots of fluids.
Men can also experience weight loss because their bodies break down muscle to make energy, instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar level remains high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Making a balanced diabetes diet is a crucial aspect of managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar, reduce your weight and heart disease risk factors.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole food items, including fruits whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You may also need to limit the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks are often high in sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may recommend diabetes medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in normal levels. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes, such as diet and physical activity, to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t managed on one medication it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor will help you select the right medicine to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer medicines like glucagon-like receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose inhibitors that lower blood sugar levels, provide kidney and cardiovascular benefits and reduce the risk of complications. They’re also helpful for weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.