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’s unable to utilize the insulin it does produce effectively.
Diet, exercise and medication can all help in preventing or delaying the disease. It’s important to be aware of symptoms to determine whether something is wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas stops making enough insulin or isn’t able to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body to absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics don’t make enough insulin, or their bodies are unable to use it properly.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels get too high over time. This can cause issues with your feet, eyes and kidneys. It can also cause damage to your heart arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction which means that your immune system attacks the insulin-producing pancreatic cells and destroys them. This destruction can happen over months or even years before eventually resulting in an inability to produce insulin.
Insulin is required by those 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 suffer from type 2 diabetes your body isn’t using insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells get blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and adhere to a healthy diet. They may also have to take medications to manage their blood sugar levels.
Symptoms of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races, ethnicities, and genders. Women are at greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to suffer from complications, such as heart disease (the most common complication associated with diabetes), and vision loss.
Polydipsia is a warning sign for diabetes in women. This is because diabetes can create excess sugar in your bloodstream and your kidneys are not able to filter it out.
Men with diabetes: Symptoms
Diabetes is a condition in which cells are unable use glucose (blood sugar) as energy. This is usually because the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This results in high blood sugar levels. Your body then tries to lower the levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty and require to drink a lot of fluids.
Men may also experience weight loss as their bodies break down muscle to make energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diabetes diet is a crucial aspect of managing the condition. It can help manage blood sugar levels and weight, as well as reduce risk factors for heart disease.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains beans, and low-fat dairy. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You might also want to limit the amount of sugar-sweetened beverages you consume. These drinks often have lots of sugar, which can lead to high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These medications are usually combined with lifestyle changes, such as diet and physical activity, to manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well controlled on one medicine another medicine could be added. Your doctor will work with you to choose the most appropriate medication for your requirements and preferences.
Newer drugs like glucagonlike receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors reduce blood sugar, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits, and reduce the risk of complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss and come in both tablet and injection forms.