Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that is affecting millions of people each year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it’s unable to utilize the insulin it does produce effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can all help in preventing or delaying the onset of the disease. It is important to be aware of the signs, to determine whether there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health issue that affects how your body transforms food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as well as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists cells absorb and utilize sugar, also known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics don’t make enough insulin, or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it properly.
The blood sugar levels increase over time in both types of diabetes. This can lead to issues in the kidneys, eyes and feet. It could also cause damage to arteries in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease which means that the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. The destruction can take place over several years or even decades, eventually leading to the complete 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 activities to maintain their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body isn’t using insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormonal substance that assists your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, where it is utilized to generate energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and eat a balanced diet. They may also have to take medication to manage their blood glucose levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects all races as well as ethnic groups as well as ages and genders. Women are more at risk than men.
Women with diabetes have a greater chance of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and loss of vision.
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 aren’t able to get rid of it properly.
Diabetes in men: Symptoms
Diabetes is a condition where cells are unable to use glucose (blood sugar) as energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas does not produce enough insulin.
This leads to high blood sugar levels. Your body then attempts to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
People with diabetes are typically thirsty, and they have to drink a lot of fluids.
Men may be able to experience weight loss too as their bodies break down muscle for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diabetes diet can be an essential part of managing the condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels, reduce your weight and heart disease risk factors.
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 free of added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You might need to limit your consumption of drinks that are sweetened with sugar. These drinks are often high in sugar which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may suggest diabetic medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within the normal range. These medicines are usually combined with lifestyle changes such as exercise and diet to help manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not being adequately controlled with one medication, you might require a second medication. Your doctor will work with you to select the most appropriate medicine for your requirements and preferences.
Newer medications, such as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while decreasing the chance of developing complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.