Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions each year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it’s not able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and prevented or delayed by diet, exercise and medications. It is also essential to be aware of the symptoms to be able to tell if something is wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that affects the way your body transforms food into energy. It happens when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or fails to utilize it in a proper manner.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. People with type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies don’t use it properly.
The blood sugar levels increase over time in both kinds of diabetes. This can cause issues with your eyes, feet, and kidneys. It may also damage the heart and brain arteries as well as your brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This process can take months or years, eventually leading to the complete absence of insulin.
Type 1 diabetics must take insulin each day. They also need to 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 suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body is not using insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells move glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, where it is used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and follow a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to regulate their blood sugar levels.
Signs of women having diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races and ethnic groups, ages, and genders. However, women are at a higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience complications, including heart disease (the most common complication associated with diabetes), and vision loss.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for women who suffer from diabetes. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your bloodstream and your kidneys are not able to filter it out.
The signs of diabetes in men
In the case of diabetes the cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. The body tries to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and they have to drink lots of fluids.
Men may be able to experience weight loss too as their bodies break down muscle for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay elevated for long periods.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is a crucial aspect of managing your diabetes. It can help manage blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products and legumes are great choices. It should be low in saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may want to limit your intake of beverages sweetened with sugar. These drinks are usually packed with sugar and can cause blood sugar levels in the body to increase.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes-related medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are typically combined with changes in lifestyle, like physical activity and diet, to help manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well controlled by one medicine, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor will assist you select the right medicine for your personal preferences and needs.
Newer medications, like sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as reducing the chance of developing complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss and are available in tablets and injections.