Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions each year. It is caused because the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or cannot use the insulin that it produces effectively.
Diet, exercise and medication can aid in preventing or reducing the disease. It is also crucial to understand the symptoms to determine whether there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health issue (long-lasting), which impacts the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas stops making enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as well as it should.
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 types of diabetes. This can cause problems in the kidneys, eyes and feet. It can also damage the heart and brain arteries as well as your brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction which means that your immune system attacks pancreatic cells that produce insulin and destroys them. The destruction can take place over many months or even years before resulting in the complete absence of insulin.
Insulin is a requirement for people with type 1 diabetes every day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their food, insulin and activity levels to keep their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 the body isn’t producing insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetics need to exercise and adhere to a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
Signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnic groups age, genders, and ages. However women are at a higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes have a greater likelihood of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and vision loss.
One early warning sign of diabetes in women is a rise in thirst and the frequency of urination, which is known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to get rid of it effectively.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
In diabetes the cells are unable use blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This usually happens because the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.
This results in elevated blood sugar levels. The body then attempts to lower these levels by flushing out the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and need to drink plenty of fluids.
Men can also shed weight as their bodies rely on muscle for energy rather than fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels are high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes can be a key part of managing the condition. It can help you control blood sugar, manage your weight and reduce heart disease risk factors.
Your diet should include plenty of whole foods, such as fruits, whole grains, vegetables as well as beans and dairy that is low in fat. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You might need to limit your consumption of sweetened drinks with sugar. These drinks typically contain plenty of sugar, which can lead to elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within an acceptable range. These drugs are often paired with changes in lifestyle, like physical activity and diet, to manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not well controlled with one medication, you may need to take a different medication. Your doctor will assist you to determine the best medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
The latest medications, including sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors as well as glucagon antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar levels and provide benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while decreasing the chance of developing complications. They are also useful for weight loss, and are available in tablets and injections.