Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people every year. It is caused when your body isn’t producing enough insulin or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it is treatable and can be avoided or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It is also crucial to be aware of the signs, so you can identify whether you are suffering from a condition and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) health issue that affects how your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas stops producing enough insulin, or fails to use it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, which is known as glucose. People suffering from type 2 diabetes aren’t able to make enough insulin or their bodies don’t use it properly.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels get too high in time. This can lead to problems with the eyes, feet, and kidneys. It can also damage your brain and heart arteries.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks pancreatic cells that produce insulin and destroys them. The destruction can happen over months or even for years, eventually resulting in the absence of insulin completely.
Insulin is a requirement for people with type 1 diabetes every day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activity levels to maintain their blood sugar within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes the body does not utilize insulin in the way it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells get blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetes sufferers must treat their condition through a healthy diet and exercise. They may also need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects all races and ethnic groups and ages as well as genders. Women are at higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes are at a greater risk chance of developing complications compared to men, such as heart disease (the most commonly reported diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for women with diabetes. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your blood and kidneys can’t remove it.
Diabetes in men: Symptoms
In diabetes it is when cells are unable make use of blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This is typically because the pancreas is producing too little insulin.
This leads to high 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 they have to drink a lot of fluids.
Men can also experience weight loss because their bodies break down muscle to make energy, instead of fat. This is due to their blood sugar levels remain high for extended periods.
Diabetes diet
Making a balanced diabetes diet is an important part of managing your condition. It can help regulate blood sugar levels control weight and reduce the risk factors for heart diseases.
Your diet should include plenty of whole food items, including fruits vegetables, whole grains beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. 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 often high in sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might recommend diabetic medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in the normal range. These medications are usually combined with lifestyle changes, such as exercise and diet to help manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well managed on one medication another medicine could be added. Your doctor will assist you select the right medicine for your preferences and needs.
Newer drugs like glucagonlike receptor agonists, peptide-1, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors lower blood sugar, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits and reduce the risk of complications. They also aid in weight loss and are available in tablets and injections.