Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that is affecting millions of people each year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when it isn’t able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can aid in preventing or reducing the development of the disease. It is also essential to recognize the signs so you can determine whether you are suffering from a condition and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long-lasting), which impacts the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas stops making enough insulin, or fails to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body absorb and use glucose, also referred to as sugar. People suffering from type 2 diabetes aren’t able to make enough insulin or their bodies don’t utilize it correctly.
In both types of diabetes, the blood sugar levels get excessively high over time. This can cause problems with the eyes, feet and kidneys. It can also harm the blood vessels in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic insulin-producing cells and destroys them. The destruction can happen over months or even for years and eventually lead to the complete absence of insulin.
Type 1 diabetics require insulin every day. They also have to keep track of their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and levels of exercise to keep their blood sugar within the normal range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body is not 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 follow a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races, ethnicities, ages and genders. However women are at higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes have a higher likelihood of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and vision loss.
Polydipsia can be a warning sign for women suffering from diabetes. This is due to diabetes causing excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood, and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to remove it in a proper manner.
Diabetes in men: Symptoms
In diabetes the cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This is typically because the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. Your body attempts to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty, and need to drink plenty of fluids.
Men may be able to experience weight loss too as their bodies break down muscle to make energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that the blood sugar level stays high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is a crucial aspect of managing your condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage weight and reduce the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, including fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products such as beans, legumes, and beans are excellent choices. It should be low in added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You may also need to limit the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks are usually packed with sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may recommend diabetes medication to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in a normal range. These medications are usually combined with changes to your lifestyle, such as exercise and diet to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not being managed well with one medicine, you may require a second medication. Your doctor can help you determine the most appropriate medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
Newer medicines like glucagon-like receptor agonists, peptide-1, and sodium-glucose inhibitors that lower blood sugar, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits, and lower the risk of complications. They are also beneficial for weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.