Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions each year. It is caused when your body isn’t producing enough insulin or it can’t use the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medication can help prevent or delay the development of the disease. It is also important to understand the symptoms so you can tell whether there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) disease that affects how your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, or fails to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and use glucose, also known as sugar. People suffering from type 2 diabetes aren’t able to make enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it correctly.
In both types of diabetes, the blood sugar levels are too high over time. This can cause problems with the eyes, kidneys and feet. It may also cause damage to the blood vessels in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, meaning that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. The destruction can take place over months or even years, eventually leading to an inability to produce insulin.
Insulin is required by people with type 1 diabetes every day. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activities to keep their blood sugar levels within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body may not make use of insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone which helps your cells remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and eat a healthy diet. They may also have to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all races, ethnic groups as well as ages and genders. However, women are at a higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes are at a greater risk chance of developing complications compared to men, such as heart disease (the most frequent diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
One early warning sign of women suffering from diabetes is increased thirst and the frequency of urination, which is known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can create excess sugar in your blood and your kidneys are not able to remove it.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
In diabetes, cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas is producing too little insulin.
This leads to elevated blood sugar levels. Your body then attempts to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and need to drink a lot of fluids.
The men may also lose weight because their bodies rely on muscle for energy rather than fat. This is because their blood sugar levels remain elevated for long periods.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diabetes diet is an important aspect of managing the condition. It can help control blood sugar levels control weight and reduce the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
Include whole foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products as well as legumes, beans and beans are great choices. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You may also need to limit the amount of drinks that contain sugar you consume. These drinks usually contain plenty of sugar, which can lead to high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might recommend diabetes medication to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are typically used with lifestyle changes, such as eating habits and exercise to manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t managed on one medication, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor will guide you to pick the best medication to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer medications such as glucagon-like receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors reduce blood sugar levels, offer kidney and cardiovascular benefits, and reduce the risk of complications. They are also useful for weight loss and come in both tablet and injection forms.