Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions each year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it’s unable to utilize the insulin it does have effectively.
Diet, exercise and medication can help to prevent or delay the disease. It’s also crucial to be aware of symptoms to determine what’s wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body transforms food into energy. It happens when your pancreas stops producing enough insulin or can’t use it as effectively as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. People suffering from type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies don’t utilize it correctly.
In both forms of diabetes, blood sugar levels get too high in time. This can lead to 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 pancreatic cells that produce insulin, and destroys them. This destruction can happen over several years or even decades, eventually leading to the complete absence of insulin.
Insulin is required by those who suffer from type 1 diabetes 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 the body isn’t producing insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells to remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetes sufferers need to treat their diabetes by eating a balanced diet and regular exercise. They may also need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races and ethnicities and ages as well as genders. Women are more susceptible than males.
Women with diabetes are more prone to suffer from complications, such as heart disease (the most common complication associated with diabetes), and vision loss.
One of the early signs of women suffering from diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urinary frequency, also known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to build up in your bloodstream and your kidneys are not able to eliminate it.
Diabetes in men Men: Symptoms
Diabetes is a condition that occurs when cells are not able to use glucose (blood sugar) for energy. This is typically because the pancreas produces insufficient insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. Your body will then try to lower the level by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and they have to drink a lot of fluids.
Men may also experience weight loss since their muscles are broken down by their bodies for energy instead of fat. This is because their blood sugar levels stay high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is a vital aspect of managing your diabetes. It can help manage blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease the risk factors for heart diseases.
Your diet should include plenty of whole foods like fruits whole grains, vegetables, beans and low-fat dairy. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You may 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 increase.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medication to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in an acceptable range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes, such as physical activity and diet, to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar is not well controlled with one medication, you may need to take a different medication. Your doctor will assist you to determine the most appropriate medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
Newer medications like glucagon-like receptor agonists, peptide-1, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors lower blood sugar levels, provide kidney and cardiovascular benefits, and reduce the risk of complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.