Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness which affects millions of people every year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it’s unable to utilize the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it is curable and prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medication. It’s also crucial to be aware of the symptoms to determine whether something is wrong and get 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 your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin, or fails to use it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells absorb and use sugar, which is known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to use it properly.
The blood sugar levels increase over time in both kinds of diabetes. This can lead to issues in the kidneys, eyes and feet. It can also damage the blood vessels in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic insulin-producing cells and destroys them. The destruction can happen over months or even for years and eventually lead to the absence of insulin completely.
Type 1 diabetics must take insulin each day. They must also keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and levels of exercise to keep their blood sugar in the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes your body doesn’t use insulin the way it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells to remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used for energy.
People suffering from type 2 diabetes must treat their condition by consuming a balanced diet and regular exercise. They may also have to take medications to manage their blood sugar levels.
Signs of women having diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people from all races, ethnicities, and genders. However women are at a higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes are more prone to suffer from complications, like heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes), and vision loss.
Polydipsia is a warning sign for women with diabetes. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your blood and your kidneys are not able to remove it.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
In the case of diabetes it is when cells are unable make use of blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This is usually due to the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.
This can lead to elevated blood sugar levels. Your body then attempts to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose out of your bloodstream via urine.
Patients with diabetes typically experience thirst and require to drink large quantities of fluids, up to 4 liters a day.
Men can also lose weight since their bodies make use of muscles to generate energy, not fat. This is due to their blood sugar levels are high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet with a low-carbohydrate diet can be a key part of managing the condition. It can help manage blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease risk factors for heart disease.
Your diet should include plenty of whole foods like fruits, whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be low in saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may be advised to limit your consumption of sweetened drinks with sugar. These drinks are usually high in sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medication to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are often combined with changes in lifestyle, like diet and physical activity, to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t controlled by one medicine then a second medication could be added. Your doctor will guide you to pick the best medication for your personal preferences and needs.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose -cotransporter-2 inhibitors, and glucagon peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower blood sugar and have benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as reducing the risk of complications. They also aid in weight loss and come in both tablets and injections.