Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that is affecting millions of people each year. It is caused when the body fails to produce enough insulin or cannot utilize the insulin it has effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can help prevent or delay the disease. It’s also crucial to be aware of the symptoms to know whether something is wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health issue that affects the way your body turns food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas stops making enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and use glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics do not produce enough insulin, or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it effectively.
The blood sugar levels rise over time in both types of diabetes. This can cause issues with your feet, eyes and kidneys. It could also harm your brain and heart arteries.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction which means that your immune system attacks pancreatic insulin-producing cells and destroys them. This process can last for months or even for years until it leads to a complete lack of insulin.
Type 1 diabetics need to take insulin every day. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and levels of exercise to keep their blood sugar levels within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not use insulin the way it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, which can then be used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetics have to exercise and adhere to a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to manage their blood glucose levels.
Signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people from all races, ethnicities and genders. Women are more at risk than men.
Women with diabetes are at a greater risk chance of developing complications compared to men, including heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia is a sign of warning for women who suffer from diabetes. This is due to diabetes causing excess sugar to build up in the blood and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to get rid of it effectively.
Diabetes in men The signs and symptoms
In the case of diabetes the cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This is typically because the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body will then try to lower the levels by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty, and need to drink lots of fluids.
Men may 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 their blood sugar levels remain high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diabetes diet is an important aspect of managing the condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage your weight, and lower heart disease risk factors.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole foods, such as fruits vegetables, whole grains beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be free of saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may also need to limit the amount of sugar-sweetened beverages you consume. These drinks often have plenty of sugar in them which can result in high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might recommend diabetes medication to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within normal levels. These medications are typically combined with changes in lifestyle, like diet and physical activity, to manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t managed on one medication another medicine could be added. Your doctor will work with you to select the best medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
Newer medications, such as sodium-glucose -cotransporter-2 inhibitors, and glucagon antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar levels and provide benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the chance of developing complications. They also aid in weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.