Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people every year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when it’s not able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it is treatable and treated or delayed through diet, exercise and medications. It is also important to be aware of the signs, so you can identify whether there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects the way your body transforms food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas does not produce enough insulin or is unable to properly use it.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body absorb and use glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin or aren’t able to utilize it correctly.
The blood sugar levels increase over time in both types of diabetes. This can lead to problems with your eyes, kidneys and feet. It can also harm the blood vessels in your heart as well as the brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction which means that your immune system attacks pancreatic insulin-producing cells and destroys them. The process of destruction can last for months or even years until it eventually leads to a total lack of insulin.
Type 1 diabetics need to take insulin every day. They also have to keep track of their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and levels of activity to keep their blood sugar levels within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body is not making the insulin it needs to. Insulin is a hormonal substance that aids your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, where it can be used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and adhere to a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are afflicted with symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects all races as well as ethnic groups as well as ages and genders. However women are at higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience complications, like heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication), and vision loss.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for women suffering from diabetes. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to accumulate in your bloodstream, and your kidneys cannot filter it out.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
In diabetes the cells are unable make use of blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This is usually because the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. Your body then tries to lower these levels by flushing excess glucose out of your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty and require to drink lots 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 because blood sugar levels are high for long periods.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is an important part of managing your condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar, control your weight, and reduce heart disease risk factors.
Your diet should include plenty of whole food items, including fruits, whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You might need to limit your consumption of drinks that are sweetened with sugar. These drinks typically contain high levels of sugar in them which can result in high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might recommend diabetic medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in an acceptable range. These medications are typically combined with changes in lifestyle, like diet and physical activity, to manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar is not being adequately controlled with one medication, you might need to add a second medication. Your doctor will help you select the right medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
Newer medications such as glucagon-like receptor agonists, peptide-1, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors lower blood sugar levels, offer kidney and cardiovascular benefits and reduce the risk of complications. They are also beneficial for weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.