Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions each year. It occurs because the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or cannot utilize the insulin it produces effectively.
Diet, exercise and medication can help to prevent or delay the onset of the disease. It’s also crucial to be aware of symptoms to be able to tell if something is wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health issue (long-lasting) that impacts the way your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas stops producing enough insulin or isn’t able to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, which is called glucose. Type 2 diabetics aren’t producing enough insulin, or their bodies aren’t able to use it correctly.
The blood sugar levels increase over time in both kinds of diabetes. This can lead to issues with the eyes, kidneys and feet. It may also cause damage to the blood vessels in your heart as well as the brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease in which your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The destruction can happen over months or even for years before resulting in an absence of insulin.
Insulin is needed by people with type 1 diabetes every day. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and activity levels to keep their blood sugar in a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not utilize insulin in the way it should. Insulin is a hormonal substance that assists your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells which can then be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics need to exercise and eat a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects all races and ethnicities and ages as well as genders. Women are at higher risk than men.
Women who suffer from diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications compared to men, such as heart disease (the most frequent diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
One of the first signs of women with diabetes is a higher thirst and increased the frequency of urination, which is known as polydipsia. This is due to diabetes causing excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood, and your kidneys aren’t able to remove it effectively.
Diabetes in men: Symptoms
In diabetes it is when cells are unable use blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is typically because the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.
This causes high blood sugar levels. Your body attempts to reduce these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and need to drink a lot of fluids.
Men can also experience weight loss as their bodies break down muscle for energy, instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar level remains high for extended periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is a vital aspect of managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar, manage your weight, and lower the risk of heart disease by reducing risk factors.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products, beans, and legumes are excellent choices. It should be low in saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may also be able to reduce the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks are typically packed with sugar and can cause blood sugar levels to increase.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may recommend diabetes medications to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in an acceptable range. These medications are usually combined with changes in lifestyle, like physical activity and diet, to manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t managed by one medication, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor will assist you to choose the best medicine for your needs and preferences.
Newer medications like glucagon-like receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose inhibitors that lower blood sugar levels, have 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.