Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people every year. It occurs when your body isn’t producing enough insulin or it’s not able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it can be treated and prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medication. It is also crucial to know the symptoms, so you can determine whether you have a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body transforms food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas stops producing enough insulin or can’t use it as well as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body to absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics aren’t producing enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to use it effectively.
The blood sugar levels rise with time in both forms of diabetes. This can cause issues with the eyes, kidneys and feet. It can also harm the coronary arteries and 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 before resulting in a complete lack of insulin.
Insulin is needed by people with type 1 diabetes all day. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activity levels to keep their blood sugar within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes the body does not make use of insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, where it is used to create energy.
People with type 2 diabetes need to treat their condition by eating a balanced diet and exercise. They also may need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects all races and ethnicities age, genders, and ages. However women are at greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes are at a greater risk chance of developing complications than men, such as heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) and vision loss.
One of the first signs of women with diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urine, a condition known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood, and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to filter it out correctly.
Diabetes in men The signs and symptoms
Diabetes is a condition where cells are not able to use glucose (blood sugar) to generate energy. This is usually due to the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This causes high blood sugar levels. The body tries to lower these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Patients with diabetes typically experience thirst and require to drink large amounts of fluids, as much as four liters a day.
Men can also experience weight loss since their bodies break down muscle for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is a crucial aspect of managing your condition. It can help manage blood sugar levels control weight and reduce the risk factors for heart disease.
Your diet should include plenty of whole foods, including fruits vegetables, whole grains as well as beans and dairy that is low in fat. It should be low in saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may consider limiting your consumption of beverages sweetened with sugar. These drinks typically contain high levels of sugar in them, which can lead to elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may recommend diabetes medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in an acceptable range. These medications are often combined with lifestyle changes, such as physical activity and diet, to manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well controlled by one medicine then a second medication could be added. Your doctor can help you select the right medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
Newer medicines like glucagon-like receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose inhibitors that lower blood sugar, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits and lower the risk of complications. They’re also helpful for weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.