Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people each year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when it isn’t able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can all help in preventing or delaying the onset of the disease. It is also important to understand the symptoms so you can determine whether you have a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long-lasting) that affects the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or isn’t able to use it properly.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body to absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics do not produce enough insulin or aren’t able to use it properly.
In both forms of diabetes, the blood sugar levels become too high in time. 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 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 take place over several years or even decades, eventually leading to the total absence of insulin.
Insulin is required by people who suffer from type 1 diabetes each day. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and activities to keep their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body is not using insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells to remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and follow a healthy diet. They may also have to take medication to regulate their blood glucose levels.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all races and ethnicities as well as ages and genders. Women are more at risk than males.
Women who suffer from diabetes have a higher likelihood of developing complications than men, such as heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) and vision loss.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for women suffering from diabetes. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your bloodstream and your kidneys are not able to eliminate it.
Men with diabetes Men: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes, cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This is typically because the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. Your body will then attempt to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream through urine.
People suffering from diabetes frequently are thirsty and have to drink large quantities of fluids, as much as four liters per day.
The men may also lose weight since their bodies make use of muscle for energy rather than fat. This is due to the fact that the blood sugar level stays high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is a crucial aspect of managing your condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage weight and reduce risk factors for heart disease.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products and legumes are great choices. It should be low in saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You might also consider limiting the amount of sugar-sweetened drinks you consume. These drinks are usually high in sugar which can cause blood sugar levels in the body to increase.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may recommend diabetes medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in the normal range. These medications are typically combined with changes in lifestyle, like diet and physical activity, to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well controlled on one medicine, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor will work with you to choose the most appropriate medication for your specific needs and preferences.
Newer medicines like glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and sodium-glucose COtransporter-2 inhibitors decrease blood sugar levels, have cardiovascular and kidney benefits, and reduce the risk of complications. They are also useful for weight loss and come in both tablet and injection forms.