Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that affects millions of people each year. It happens because the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or fails to make use of the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can help prevent or delay the onset of the disease. It’s important to be aware of symptoms so you can tell the signs of a problem 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 use it properly.
Insulin is a hormone that assists cells absorb and utilize sugar, which is called glucose. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin, or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it in a proper way.
The blood sugar levels increase over time in both kinds of diabetes. This can cause issues in the kidneys, eyes and feet. It can also damage your heart arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic insulin-producing cells and destroys them. The destruction can take place over many months or even years before resulting in an absence of insulin.
People with type 1 diabetes require insulin every day. They also have to keep track of their blood glucose levels and adjust insulin, food and activity levels to keep their blood glucose within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes your body doesn’t use insulin the way it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells take blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetics have to exercise and adhere to a healthy diet. They may also need to take medications to control their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are afflicted with symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people from all races, ethnicities, ages and genders. Women are more susceptible than men.
Women with diabetes have a greater chance of developing complications compared to men, including heart disease (the most commonly reported diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
One of the first signs of women with diabetes is increased thirst and urination, called polydipsia. This is due to diabetes causing excess sugar to build up in the blood and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to eliminate it correctly.
Diabetes in men Men: Symptoms
Diabetes is a disease in which cells are unable to utilize glucose (blood sugar) as energy source. This is usually because the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body will then try to lower the levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
People with diabetes are typically thirsty and require to drink a lot 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 levels stay high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A balanced diet for diabetes is an important aspect of managing the condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar levels, reduce your weight and the risk of developing heart disease.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole food items, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and low-fat dairy. It should be low in saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may also consider limiting the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks often have a lot of sugar that can cause high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may suggest diabetes medications to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in normal levels. These medications are often combined with changes to your lifestyle, such as eating habits and physical activity to manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well managed by one medication, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor will assist you pick the best medication to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer drugs like glucagonlike receptor antagonists for peptide-1 and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors lower blood sugar, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits, and reduce the risk of complications. They’re also helpful for weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.