Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people each year. It occurs because the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or make use of the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and avoided or delayed with diet, exercise and medication. It is also essential to be aware of the signs, so you can tell whether you have a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic illness (long-lasting), which alters how your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas stops making enough insulin, or fails to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body absorb and use glucose, also referred to as sugar. People with type 2 diabetes don’t make enough insulin, or their bodies can’t make it work properly.
The blood sugar levels increase with time in both forms of diabetes. This can cause problems with the kidneys, eyes and feet. It could also cause damage to blood vessels in your heart as well as the brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic cells that produce insulin and destroys them. The destruction can happen over months or even for years until it leads to an absence of insulin.
People suffering from type 1 diabetes require insulin every day. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activity levels to keep their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body is not producing insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormonal substance that aids in the movement of glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, which can then be used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and eat a healthy diet. They may also have to take medications to control their blood glucose levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people from all races, ethnicities and genders. Women are at greater risk than males.
Women with diabetes are at a greater risk likelihood of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and vision loss.
One of the first signs of women with diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urine, a condition known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the bloodstream and the kidneys aren’t able remove it in a proper manner.
Symptoms of diabetes in men
In the case of diabetes, cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body then tries to lower the levels by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and they have to drink a lot of fluids.
Men can also lose weight since their bodies rely on muscles for energy instead of fat. This is due to their blood sugar levels are high for long periods.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is an important part of managing your diabetes. It can help you manage your blood sugar, manage your weight and reduce heart disease risk factors.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole foods, including fruits vegetables, whole grains as well as beans and dairy that is low in fat. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You might also want to limit the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks are usually high in sugar and can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may suggest diabetic medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in a normal range. These medications are typically used with lifestyle changes such as eating habits and exercise to manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well managed on one medication, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor will work with you to determine the best medication for your needs and preferences.
Newer drugs like glucagonlike receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as 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 tablets and injections.