Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that affects millions of people each year. It occurs when the body fails to produce enough insulin or cannot make use of the insulin it has effectively.
Exercise, diet and medication can aid in preventing or reducing the development of the disease. It’s also important to be aware of the symptoms to know whether something is wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) disease that affects the way your body turns food into energy. It happens when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or is unable to utilize it in a proper manner.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics don’t make enough insulin or aren’t able to use it properly.
The blood sugar levels rise over time in both types of diabetes. This can cause problems with your feet, eyes and kidneys. It can also damage your heart arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease which means that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The destruction can happen over months or even years and eventually lead to an absence of insulin.
People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day. They must also keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and levels of activity to keep their blood sugar within the normal range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2, your body is not using 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 to create energy.
Type 2 diabetes sufferers need to treat their condition through a healthy diet and regular exercise. They may also need to take medications to control their blood sugar levels.
Symptoms of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all races as well as ethnic groups as well as ages and genders. However women are at a higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes have a greater likelihood of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most commonly reported diabetes complication) and vision loss.
One early warning sign of diabetes in women is a rise in thirst and urinary frequency, also known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can create excess sugar in your blood and kidneys can’t remove it.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
In diabetes, cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. The body tries to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose out of your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and need to drink a lot of fluids.
Men may be able to experience weight loss too as their muscles are broken down by their bodies for energy instead of fat. This is due to their blood sugar levels are high for extended periods.
Diabetes diet
Making a balanced diabetes diet is an important part of managing your condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar, control your weight, and reduce the risk of heart disease by reducing risk factors.
You should include whole foods in your diet, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products, beans, and legumes are a good choice. It should be free of saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You might need to limit your consumption of beverages sweetened with sugar. These drinks typically contain plenty of sugar in them which can result in elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes, such as exercise and diet to help manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well controlled by one medicine, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor will assist you to pick the most appropriate medicine for your requirements and preferences.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists for the peptide-1 receptor, decrease blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as reducing the chance of developing complications. They also aid in weight loss, and come in both tablets and injections.