Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people every year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or it can’t use the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it can be treated and can be prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It is important to understand the symptoms so you can determine whether there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body converts food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas stops making enough insulin or isn’t able to use it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and utilize glucose, also referred to as sugar. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies cannot use it in a proper way.
The blood sugar levels increase over time in both types of diabetes. This can lead to issues with your eyes, kidneys and feet. It could also cause damage to blood vessels in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease and means that the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. The destruction can take place over months or even for years until it leads to an absence of insulin.
Type 1 diabetics need to take insulin every day. They also must monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their the insulin, food and activity levels to keep their blood sugar within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body doesn’t make insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that aids in the movement of glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells where it can be used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetes sufferers need to treat their diabetes through a healthy diet and exercise. They may also have to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects all races as well as ethnic groups and ages as well as genders. However, women are at a greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes have a higher likelihood of developing complications than men, such as heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) and vision loss.
One of the early warning signs of women suffering from diabetes is a rise in thirst and urinary frequency, also known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your bloodstream and your kidneys are not able to remove it.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
Diabetes is a condition where cells are unable to utilize glucose (blood sugar) as energy. This is usually due to the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.
This leads to elevated blood sugar levels. Your body then tries to lower these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty, and need to drink plenty of fluids.
Men may also experience weight loss since their bodies break down muscle for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels are high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is a vital aspect of managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar levels control weight and reduce the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
Your diet should comprise plenty of whole foods, such as fruits whole grains, vegetables beans, and low-fat dairy. It should be low in saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You might also need to limit the amount of sugar-sweetened drinks you consume. These drinks often have plenty of sugar and can cause high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes-related medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are often combined with changes to your lifestyle, such as diet and physical activity, to manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well controlled by one medicine it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor will help you determine the most appropriate medicine for your personal preferences and needs.
Newer medicines like glucagon-like receptor antagonists for peptide-1 and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors reduce blood sugar levels, have 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.