Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people each year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it can’t use the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It is also important to understand the symptoms so you can determine if there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) health issue that affects how your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas does not produce enough insulin or fails to use it correctly.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body to absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. People suffering from type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it correctly.
In both types of diabetes, the blood sugar levels become too high in time. This can cause problems in the kidneys, eyes 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 a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic cells that produce insulin, and destroys them. The destruction can happen over many months or even years until it leads to an absence of insulin.
People with type 1 diabetes require insulin every day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and levels of exercise to keep their blood sugar within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body is not using insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone which helps your cells take blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and follow a healthy diet. They also may need to take medicine to control their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnicities and genders. However women are at higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes are more prone to suffer from complications, such as heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and loss of vision.
One early warning sign of diabetes in women is a higher thirst and increased urinary frequency, also known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your bloodstream and your kidneys are not able to remove it.
Men with diabetes Men: Symptoms
Diabetes is a condition in which cells are unable to utilize glucose (blood sugar) as energy source. This is usually because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin.
This leads to high blood sugar levels. Your body then attempts to lower these levels by flushing excess glucose out of your bloodstream via urine.
People who have diabetes often are thirsty and have to drink large amounts of fluids, as much as four liters daily.
Men may also lose weight because their bodies utilize muscles for energy instead of fat. This is due to their blood sugar levels remain high for extended periods.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is an important part of managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage your weight and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole food items, including fruits whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be free of saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You might also consider limiting the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks are often packed with sugar which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the normal range. These medications are usually combined with lifestyle changes, like eating habits and physical activity to help manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t managed by one medication, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor can help you choose the best medicine to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer medicines like glucagon-like receptor agonists, peptide-1, and sodium-glucose inhibitors that lower blood sugar, have cardiovascular and kidney benefits, and lower the risk of complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss and are available in tablet and injection forms.