Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that is affecting millions of people each year. It happens when your body isn’t producing enough insulin or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medication can help prevent or delay the disease. It is also essential to be aware of symptoms to know whether something is wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body transforms food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas stops making enough insulin, or fails to use it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. People with type 2 diabetes do not produce enough insulin, or their bodies can’t use it properly.
The blood sugar levels rise as time passes in both types of diabetes. This can cause issues in the kidneys, eyes and feet. It can also cause damage to the heart and brain arteries as well as your brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, meaning that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells inside the pancreas. The destruction can happen over many months or even years, eventually resulting in the complete absence of insulin.
Insulin is a requirement for people with type 1 diabetes all day. They must also monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust the insulin, food and activity levels to keep their blood sugar within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not make use of insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormonal substance that assists your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells which can then be utilized to generate energy.
People with type 2 diabetes must treat their condition with a healthy diet and regular exercise. They may also need to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races and ethnicities as well as ages and genders. However, women are at a higher risk than men.
Women who suffer from diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and loss of vision.
One of the first signs of diabetes in women is increased thirst and urinary frequency, also known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to build up in your blood and kidneys can’t remove it.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
Diabetes is a disease in which cells are unable to utilize glucose (blood sugar) 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. Your body will then try to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty and require to drink plenty of fluids.
Men can be able to experience weight loss too as their bodies break down muscle for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes is a key element in managing your condition. It can help control blood sugar levels, manage weight and reduce the risk factors for heart disease.
Your diet should comprise plenty of whole foods, such as fruits vegetables, whole grains beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You may be advised to limit your consumption of drinks sweetened with sugar. These drinks often have a lot of sugar in them which can result in high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may recommend diabetes medications to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in the normal range. These medications are typically used with lifestyle changes, such as exercise and diet to help control your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not being controlled by one medication, you may need to add a second medication. Your doctor will assist you to pick the best medication for your needs and preferences.
Newer medications, such as sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors as well as glucagon peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower blood sugar levels and provide benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while decreasing the risk of complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss and come in both tablet and injection forms.