Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that is affecting millions of people each year. It is caused because the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or use the insulin that it has effectively.
The good news is that it can be cured and can be prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It is important to know the symptoms, so you can tell whether you have a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas stops producing enough insulin or isn’t able to use it as effectively as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body to absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. People suffering from type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin, or their bodies can’t make it in a proper way.
The blood sugar levels increase as time passes in both types of diabetes. This can cause problems with your feet, eyes, and kidneys. It can also damage the blood vessels in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, meaning that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. The destruction can happen over months or even years and eventually lead to a complete lack of insulin.
Type 1 diabetics must take insulin each day. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and levels of exercise to maintain their blood sugar within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body isn’t producing insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetics need to exercise and follow a healthy diet. They may also have to take medication to regulate their blood glucose levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
It is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnicities, ages and genders. However, women are at a higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications compared to men, including heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and vision loss.
One of the early warning signs of diabetes in women is increased thirst and urinary frequency, also known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your blood and kidneys are unable to remove it.
Diabetes in men: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes, cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is typically because the pancreas produces insufficient insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body then tries to reduce these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
People with diabetes are typically thirsty, and they need to drink a lot of fluids.
Men may also lose weight because their bodies make use of muscles to generate energy, not fat. This is because blood sugar levels stay high for extended periods.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is a vital aspect of managing your condition. It can help control blood sugar levels control weight and reduce the risk factors for heart disease.
You should include whole foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products such as beans, legumes, and beans are good choices. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You might also be able to reduce the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks typically contain plenty of sugar in them and can cause elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are typically combined with changes to your lifestyle, such as physical activity and diet, to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not being adequately controlled with one medication, you may need to add a second medication. Your doctor will work with you to determine the best medicine for your requirements and preferences.
Newer drugs like glucagonlike receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors lower blood sugar, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits, and reduce the risk of complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss, and come in both tablet and injection forms.