Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people each year. It happens when the body is unable to produce enough insulin or cannot utilize the insulin it has effectively.
Diet, exercise and medication can help prevent or delay the development of the disease. It’s also important to be aware of symptoms to know what’s wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce 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 known as glucose. People suffering from type 2 diabetes do not produce enough insulin, or their bodies can’t make it work properly.
The blood sugar levels increase as time passes in both types of diabetes. This can lead to problems in the kidneys, eyes and feet. 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 pancreatic cells that produce insulin, and destroys them. The destruction can take place over months or even for years and eventually lead to a complete lack of insulin.
People with type 1 diabetes must take insulin each day. They must also keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and levels of exercise to keep their blood sugar in a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body doesn’t utilize insulin in the way it should. Insulin is a hormonal substance that assists your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, which can then be utilized to generate energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and eat a balanced diet. They may also have to take medications to control their blood glucose levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races and ethnic groups and ages as well as genders. Women are at higher risk than men.
Women who suffer from diabetes have a higher likelihood of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for women with diabetes. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your blood and your kidneys are not able to remove it.
Diabetes in men The signs and symptoms
In diabetes, cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This is typically because the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.
This results in elevated blood sugar levels. Your body will then attempt to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty, and they have to drink lots of fluids.
Men may be able to experience weight loss too as their muscles are broken down by their bodies for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels are high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Making a balanced diabetes diet is an important part of managing your diabetes. It can help control blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
Your diet should consist of a wide range of whole foods, including fruits vegetables, whole grains as well as beans and dairy that is low in fat. It should be low in saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may need to limit your consumption of drinks sweetened with sugar. These drinks often have a lot of sugar that can cause high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may suggest diabetes medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within an acceptable range. These drugs are often paired with lifestyle changes, such as exercise and diet to manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well controlled by one medicine then a second medication could be added. Your doctor will assist you to choose the best medication to meet your needs and preferences.
The latest medications, including sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors as well as glucagon peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower 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 come in both tablets and injections.