Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that affects millions of people every year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or it can’t use the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can aid in preventing or reducing the disease. It’s important to be aware of the symptoms to know whether something is wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long-lasting) that affects the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas stops making enough insulin or isn’t able to use it as effectively as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body to absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. People suffering from type 2 diabetes aren’t able to make enough insulin, or their bodies can’t make it in a proper way.
In both forms of diabetes, blood sugar levels can become excessively high over time. This can lead to issues in the kidneys, eyes and feet. It can also damage the heart and brain arteries as well as your brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, meaning that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells inside the pancreas. The destruction can take place over months or even years before resulting in the complete absence of insulin.
People with 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 activity to keep their blood sugar within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body isn’t producing insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells get blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and follow a healthy diet. They may also need to take medications to control their blood sugar levels.
Signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects all races and ethnicities and ages as well as genders. Women are more susceptible than men.
Women with diabetes have a greater chance of developing complications compared to men, including heart disease (the most frequent diabetes complication) and vision loss.
One early warning sign of diabetes in women is a rise in thirst and urination, called polydipsia. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to accumulate in your bloodstream and kidneys are unable to filter it out.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
Diabetes is a disease in which cells are unable to utilize glucose (blood sugar) for energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas is producing too little insulin.
This can lead to high blood sugar levels. The body then attempts to lower these levels by flushing out the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes typically are thirsty and have to drink large amounts of fluids, as much as 4 liters a day.
Men can be able to experience weight loss too as their muscles are broken down by their bodies for energy, instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels remain high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet with a low-carbohydrate diet can be an essential part of managing the condition. It can help manage blood sugar levels and weight, as well as reduce risk factors for heart disease.
You should include whole food items in your diet, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products such as beans, legumes, and beans are great choices. It should be low in saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You might need to limit your consumption of drinks that are sweetened with sugar. These drinks typically contain lots of sugar in them which can result in elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may recommend diabetes medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are often combined with changes in lifestyle, like exercise and diet to help manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t controlled on one medicine then a second medication could be added. Your doctor can help you choose the best medicine for your preferences and needs.
Newer medications, like sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon like antagonists for the peptide-1 receptor, decrease blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the chance of developing complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.