Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people every year. It occurs when your body isn’t producing enough insulin, or it’s unable to utilize the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it is treatable and can be prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medication. It is important to know the symptoms, to determine if there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) disease that affects the way your body turns food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or isn’t able to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that helps cells absorb and utilize sugar, also known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics do not produce enough insulin, or their bodies aren’t able to use it effectively.
In both forms of diabetes, blood sugar levels can become too high in time. This can cause issues with your feet, eyes, and kidneys. It can also harm the blood vessels in your heart as well as the brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction which means that your immune system attacks the insulin-producing pancreatic cells and destroys them. This process can take many years or months, eventually leading to the complete absence of insulin.
People suffering from type 1 diabetes must take insulin each day. They also must monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust their the levels of 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 make insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone which helps your cells remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells so that it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and adhere to a healthy diet. They may also have to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races as well as ethnic groups and ages as well as genders. However women are at a higher risk than men.
Women who suffer from diabetes are more likely to develop complications, like heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
One of the first signs 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 aren’t able to eliminate it correctly.
Diabetes in men The signs and symptoms
In the case of diabetes, cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas is producing too little insulin.
This results in elevated blood sugar levels. Your body then tries to lower the level by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
People with diabetes frequently experience thirst and require to drink large amounts of fluids, up to four liters per day.
Men can be able to experience weight loss too as their bodies break down muscle for energy instead of fat. This is because blood sugar levels stay high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes is an important aspect of managing the condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar, control your weight, and reduce the risk of heart disease by reducing risk factors.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole foods, such as fruits, whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You might also be able to reduce the amount of drinks that contain sugar you consume. These drinks usually contain plenty of sugar which can result in elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within a normal range. These medications are typically paired with lifestyle changes like exercising and diet to help you manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well managed by one medication then a second medication could be added. Your doctor will help you choose the best medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
Newer medications, such as sodium-glucose -cotransporter-2 inhibitors, and glucagon antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar and have benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the chance of developing complications. They are also useful for weight loss, and are available in tablets and injections.