Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people each year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can all help in preventing or delaying the progression of the disease. It is also crucial to be aware of the signs, to determine whether you are suffering from a condition and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) health condition that affects the way your body transforms food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or isn’t able to use it correctly.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body to absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics don’t make enough insulin, or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it correctly.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels can become excessively high over time. This can lead to problems with your eyes, kidneys and feet. It may also cause damage to the blood vessels in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The destruction can take place over months or years before eventually resulting in the total absence of insulin.
Insulin is required by those who suffer from type 1 diabetes each day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activity levels to keep their blood sugar within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not utilize insulin in the way it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells get blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics have to exercise and follow a healthy diet. They might also need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are afflicted with symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects all races, ethnic groups and ages as well as genders. However women are at a greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes have a higher likelihood of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) and vision loss.
One of the early signs of women suffering from diabetes is a rise in thirst and urine, a condition known as polydipsia. This is due to diabetes causing excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood and the kidneys aren’t able get rid of it in a proper manner.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
Diabetes is a condition that occurs when cells are not able to use glucose (blood sugar) as energy. This usually happens because the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.
This leads to high blood sugar levels. Your body will then attempt to lower the levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes typically are thirsty and have to drink large quantities of fluids, as much as four liters a day.
Men can also shed weight as their bodies utilize muscle for energy rather than 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 can be a key part of managing the condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels, control your weight, and reduce the risk of developing 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 and legumes are a good choice. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You may be advised to limit your consumption of sweetened drinks with sugar. These drinks typically contain high levels of sugar in them which can result in elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the normal range. These medications are typically paired with lifestyle changes, such as exercising and diet to help you manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t controlled on one medicine then a second medication could be added. Your doctor will assist you determine the most appropriate medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
Newer medications like glucagon-like receptor antagonists for peptide-1 and sodium-glucose inhibitors that lower blood sugar, have cardiovascular and kidney benefits, and lower the risk of complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss, and are available in tablet and injection forms.