Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people each year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when it isn’t able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it is curable and can be treated or delayed through diet, exercise and medications. It is also essential to be aware of the symptoms to determine whether something is wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic illness (long-lasting) that impacts the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas stops producing enough insulin, or fails to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, which is known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin, or their bodies cannot use it properly.
In both forms of diabetes, the blood sugar levels can become excessively high over time. This can lead to issues with the eyes, kidneys and feet. It can also cause damage to the heart and brain arteries as well as your brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic cells that produce insulin, and destroys them. The destruction can take place over months or even years, eventually resulting in an absence of insulin.
Type 1 diabetics must take insulin each day. They must also monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust their insulin, food and activity levels in order to keep their blood sugar within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes the body isn’t functioning as insulin should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells move glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, where it can be used to create energy.
People with type 2 diabetes have to manage their condition through a healthy diet and regular exercise. They may also have to take medication to regulate their blood glucose levels.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people from all races, ethnicities, ages and genders. However women are at greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes are at a greater risk likelihood of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia can be a warning sign for diabetes in women. This is because diabetes can create excess sugar in your blood and kidneys are unable to remove it.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
In the case of diabetes the cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is usually due to the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This leads to high blood sugar levels. The body tries to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty and require to drink plenty of fluids.
Men may also experience weight loss because their bodies break down muscle for energy, instead of fat. This is due to their blood sugar levels stay elevated for long periods.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is a key element in managing your condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage your weight, and lower risk factors for heart disease.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products as well as legumes, beans and beans are a good choice. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You may consider limiting your consumption of drinks sweetened with sugar. These drinks often have a lot of sugar in them that can cause elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may recommend diabetes medications to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in the normal range. These medications are typically used with lifestyle changes, such as exercise and diet to help control your diabetes.
If your blood sugar is not being controlled by one medication, you may need to take a different medication. Your doctor will guide you to choose the best medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
The latest medications, including sodium-glucose -cotransporter-2 inhibitors, and glucagon antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the chance of developing complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss and are available in tablet and injection forms.