Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people each year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when it can’t use the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it can be treated and can be prevented or delayed by diet, exercise and medication. It is important to be aware of the signs, so you can determine whether you have 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 doesn’t make enough insulin or isn’t able to utilize it in a proper manner.
Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells absorb and use sugar, which is called glucose. Type 2 diabetics aren’t producing enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it properly.
The blood sugar levels rise as time passes in both types of diabetes. This can cause problems with the eyes, feet, and kidneys. It can also harm the blood vessels in your heart as well as the brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder and means that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. This process can take months or even years before eventually resulting in the complete absence of insulin.
Insulin is required by those with type 1 diabetes all day. They must also keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and activities to keep their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not make insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormonal substance that aids your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, which can then be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics need to exercise and follow a healthy diet. They might also need to take medications to manage their blood sugar levels.
Symptoms of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races, ethnicities and genders. Women are more susceptible than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to develop complications, including heart disease (the most common complication associated with diabetes), and vision loss.
One of the early warning signs of women suffering from diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urination, called polydipsia. This is due to diabetes causing excess sugar to build up in the blood, and your kidneys aren’t able to remove it in a proper manner.
Diabetes in men: Symptoms
In diabetes, cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is usually because the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body then tries to lower the levels by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream through urine.
People who have diabetes often are thirsty and have to drink large quantities of fluids. This can be up to four liters per day.
Men can also lose weight as their bodies use muscles for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that the blood sugar level stays high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is an important part of managing your diabetes. It can help you manage your 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, low-fat dairy products, beans, and legumes are a good choice. It should be free of saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You might consider limiting your consumption of sweetened drinks with sugar. These drinks are usually high in sugar which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might recommend diabetes medication to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in a normal range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes, such as physical activity and diet, to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar is not being controlled by one medication, you may need to add a second medication. Your doctor will work with you to determine the best medication for your requirements and preferences.
Newer drugs like glucagonlike receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose COtransporter-2 inhibitors decrease blood sugar levels, provide kidney and cardiovascular benefits and reduce the risk of complications. They also aid in weight loss and come in both tablets and injections.