Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people every year. It happens because the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or make use of the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it is treatable and avoided or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It is important to be aware of the signs, so you can tell if there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health issue (long-lasting), which affects the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or is unable to properly use it.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and use glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics do not produce enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it effectively.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels can become too high in time. This can lead to problems with your feet, eyes and kidneys. It could also harm your heart arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder, meaning that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cell in the pancreas. The destruction can take place over months or even for years before resulting in the complete absence of insulin.
Type 1 diabetics need to take insulin every day. They must also keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and levels of exercise to keep their blood sugar levels within the normal range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2, your body is not producing 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.
People with type 2 diabetes need to treat their diabetes through a healthy diet and regular exercise. They may also need to take medicine to control their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all races, ethnicities, and genders. However women are at higher risk than men.
Women who suffer from diabetes are more likely to develop complications, such as heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes), and vision loss.
One early warning sign of women suffering from diabetes is a rise in thirst and urination, called polydipsia. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your bloodstream and kidneys are unable to remove it.
Men with diabetes Men: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes the cells are unable make use of blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This is usually because the pancreas does not produce enough insulin.
This results in elevated blood sugar levels. The body then attempts to lower the levels by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty, and need to drink a lot of fluids.
The men may also lose weight because their bodies use muscles to generate energy, not fat. This is because blood sugar levels remain high for long periods.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is an important part of managing your condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar levels, manage your weight and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Your diet should comprise plenty of whole foods like fruits, whole grains, vegetables, beans and low-fat dairy. It should be free of added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You may want to limit your intake of drinks that are sweetened with sugar. These drinks usually contain a lot of sugar in them and can cause elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the normal range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes, such as exercising and diet to help manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t controlled by one medicine it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor can help you choose the best medicine to suit your preferences and needs.
The latest medications, including sodium-glucose -cotransporter-2 inhibitors, and glucagon peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower blood sugar and have benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the chance of developing complications. They’re also helpful for weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.