Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease which affects millions of people every year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and can be prevented or delayed by diet, exercise and medication. It is also crucial to understand the symptoms to determine if there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic illness (long-lasting) that alters the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas does not produce enough insulin or fails to utilize it in a proper manner.
Insulin is a hormone that helps cells absorb and utilize sugar, also known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to use it correctly.
The blood sugar levels rise as time passes in both types of diabetes. This can cause issues in the feet, eyes and kidneys. It can also damage your heart arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic insulin-producing cells and destroys them. This destruction can occur over several months or even years, eventually resulting in a complete lack of insulin.
People suffering from type 1 diabetes require insulin every 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 within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2, your body is not using insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone which helps your cells get blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and eat a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races as well as ethnic groups age, genders, and ages. However women are at a higher 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 vision loss.
One of the first signs of women with diabetes is a rise in thirst and urination, called polydipsia. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to build up in your bloodstream and kidneys can’t filter it out.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
In diabetes, cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This is usually because the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This causes high blood sugar levels. Your body attempts to lower these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
People with diabetes are typically thirsty, and they have to drink lots of fluids.
Men may also lose weight since their bodies utilize muscle for energy rather than fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes is a crucial aspect of managing the condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels and weight, as well as reduce the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
Your diet should consist of a wide range of whole foods, including fruits whole grains, vegetables, beans and low-fat dairy. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You might be advised to limit your consumption of drinks sweetened with sugar. These drinks typically contain a lot of sugar in them which can result in high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These drugs are often paired with lifestyle changes, such as physical activity and diet, to manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t managed by one medication it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor will work with you to determine the best medication for your specific needs and preferences.
Newer drugs like glucagonlike receptor agonists, peptide-1, and sodium-glucose inhibitors that lower blood sugar levels, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits, and reduce the risk of complications. They also help with weight loss and come in both tablets and injections.