Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people each year. It occurs when the body fails to make enough insulin or utilize the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and can be prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It is also important to understand the symptoms so you can determine whether there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long-lasting) that alters how your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or isn’t able to use it properly.
Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells absorb and use sugar, also known as glucose. People with type 2 diabetes don’t make enough insulin or their bodies don’t make it work properly.
The blood sugar levels increase over time in both types of diabetes. This can cause issues with your feet, eyes, and kidneys. It can also damage the arteries in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells inside the pancreas. This destruction can occur over months or even for years, eventually resulting in a complete lack of insulin.
Insulin is needed by people with type 1 diabetes every day. They must also keep an eye on 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 have type 2 diabetes, your body does not make 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 for energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and eat a healthy diet. They may also need to take medications to control their blood glucose levels.
Signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races, ethnicities and genders. However women are at a greater risk than men.
Women who suffer from diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications compared to men, such as heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) and vision loss.
One early warning sign of women suffering from diabetes is a rise in thirst and urinary frequency, also known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can create excess sugar in your blood, and your kidneys cannot remove it.
Men with diabetes: Symptoms
Diabetes is a condition where cells are not able to use glucose (blood sugar) for energy. This is usually due to the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.
This causes elevated blood sugar levels. The body tries to lower these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and they need to drink lots of fluids.
Men may also experience weight loss because their muscles are broken down by their bodies for energy, instead of fat. This is due to their blood sugar levels remain high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is a vital aspect of managing your condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
You should include whole foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products, beans, and legumes are a good choice. It should be free of added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You may also want to limit the amount of sugar-sweetened beverages you consume. These drinks typically contain a lot of sugar in them and can cause elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medication to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the normal range. These drugs are often paired with changes in lifestyle, like physical activity and diet, to manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t controlled by one medicine it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor will work with you to pick the most appropriate medicine for your requirements and preferences.
Newer drugs like glucagonlike receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose inhibitors that lower blood sugar levels, provide kidney and cardiovascular benefits, and reduce the risk of complications. They are also beneficial for weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.