Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people every year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when it’s unable to utilize the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it is curable and prevented or delayed by diet, exercise and medications. It is also essential to be aware of the symptoms to determine what’s wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long-lasting) that impacts the way your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or isn’t able to properly use it.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics do not produce enough insulin or cannot use it correctly.
The blood sugar levels rise with time in both forms of diabetes. This can cause issues with the eyes, feet, and kidneys. It can also harm the arteries in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, meaning that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells inside the pancreas. This destruction can occur over several months or even years and eventually lead to the complete absence of insulin.
Insulin is needed by people with type 1 diabetes all day. They also have to keep track of their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and activities to keep their blood sugar levels within the normal range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 your body isn’t producing insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells take blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells so that it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and eat a healthy diet. They may also need to take medicine to control their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all races as well as ethnic groups, ages, and genders. Women are at greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes have a higher likelihood of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most commonly reported diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
One early warning sign of women with diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urine, a condition known as polydipsia. This is due to diabetes causing excess sugar to build up in the blood and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to remove it in a proper manner.
The signs of diabetes in men
Diabetes is a condition where cells are unable use glucose (blood sugar) for energy. This is usually because the pancreas produces insufficient insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body then tries to reduce these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty, and they 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 because their blood sugar levels are elevated for long periods.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes is an important part of managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage your weight, and lower the risk of heart disease by reducing risk factors.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products, beans, and legumes are excellent choices. It should be low in added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You might also want to limit the amount of sugar-sweetened beverages you consume. These drinks are typically packed with sugar and can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These medications are typically combined with changes in lifestyle, like diet and physical activity, to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well managed on one medication it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor can help you select the right medicine for your personal preferences and needs.
Newer medicines like glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and sodium-glucose inhibitors that lower blood sugar, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits and reduce the risk of complications. They also aid in weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.