Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that is affecting millions of people each year. It is caused because the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or make use of the insulin it has effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can all help in preventing or delaying the onset of the disease. It’s also important to be aware of the symptoms to know if something is wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long-lasting), which alters the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas does not produce enough insulin or fails to properly use it.
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 use it properly.
In both forms of diabetes, the blood sugar levels are excessively high over time. This can lead to problems with the kidneys, eyes and feet. It may also cause damage to the blood vessels in your heart and 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. The destruction can take place over many years or months until it eventually leads to an inability to produce insulin.
Insulin is needed by people with type 1 diabetes every day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and levels of exercise to maintain their blood sugar within the normal range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes the body does not utilize insulin in the way it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetics need to exercise and eat a balanced diet. They might also need to take medications to manage their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races and ethnicities age, genders, and ages. However women are at a greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to experience complications, including heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
One of the early signs of women with diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urination, called polydipsia. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your bloodstream and your kidneys are not able to filter it out.
Diabetes in men: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes it is when cells are unable make use of blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This usually happens because the pancreas is producing too little insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. The body tries to reduce these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
People with diabetes frequently have a thirsty feeling and must drink large quantities of fluids. It can be as much as four liters a day.
Men may also experience weight loss since their bodies break down muscle to make energy, instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels are high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is a key element in managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar, manage your weight, and lower heart disease risk factors.
Your diet should comprise plenty of whole foods, including fruits vegetables, whole grains beans, and low-fat dairy. It should be low in added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You may also want to limit the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks usually contain lots of sugar in them that can cause elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are usually combined with lifestyle changes, such as physical activity and diet, to manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well controlled on one medicine it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor will assist you to determine the most appropriate medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
Newer medicines like glucagon-like receptor antagonists for peptide-1 and sodium-glucose COtransporter-2 inhibitors decrease blood sugar levels, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits, and lower the risk of complications. They also help with weight loss, and come in both tablet and injection forms.