Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people every year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it is curable and prevented or delayed by diet, exercise and medication. It is also essential to be aware of symptoms to know if something is wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas does not produce enough insulin or isn’t able to use it properly.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body absorb and use glucose, also known as sugar. People with type 2 diabetes don’t make enough insulin or their bodies don’t make it work properly.
In both forms of diabetes, blood sugar levels can become excessively high over time. This can cause problems with the eyes, kidneys and feet. It can also damage the heart and brain arteries as well as your brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease and means that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cell in the pancreas. The destruction can happen over months or even for years until it leads to the absence of insulin completely.
People with type 1 diabetes require insulin every day. They also must monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust their the levels of insulin, food and activity levels in order to keep their blood glucose within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body isn’t making the insulin it needs to. Insulin is a hormonal substance that assists your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells where it is utilized to generate energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and follow a healthy diet. They may also have to take medication to manage their blood glucose levels.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all races and ethnicities, ages, and genders. However women are at higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes are at a greater risk likelihood of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for diabetes in women. This is due to diabetes causing excessive sugar to accumulate in the bloodstream and your kidneys aren’t able to remove it effectively.
Men with diabetes Men: Symptoms
Diabetes is a condition where cells are not able to use glucose (blood sugar) as energy. This is typically because the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.
This results in high blood sugar levels. Your body then tries to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose out of your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty and require to drink plenty of fluids.
Men also may shed weight as their bodies make use of muscles 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
A healthy diabetes diet is an important aspect of managing the condition. It can help control blood sugar levels and weight, as well as reduce the risk factors for heart disease.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole foods like fruits, whole grains, vegetables beans, and low-fat dairy. It should be free of saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You might also need to limit the amount of sugar-sweetened beverages you consume. These drinks often have a lot of sugar in them that can cause elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medication to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the normal range. These medications are often combined with changes in lifestyle, like physical activity and diet, to manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels are not being adequately controlled with one medicine, you may require a second medication. Your doctor will assist you select the right medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
Newer medications, like sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors as well as glucagon antagonists for the peptide-1 receptor, decrease blood sugar and have benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the chance of developing complications. They’re also helpful for weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.