Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people each year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it is curable and can be treated or delayed through diet, exercise and medications. It is also crucial to know the symptoms, so you can tell if there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic illness (long-lasting), which impacts the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or is unable to use it correctly.
Insulin is a hormone that helps cells absorb and utilize sugar, which is called glucose. People with type 2 diabetes don’t make enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it correctly.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels become too high in time. This can lead to problems in the kidneys, eyes and feet. It can also damage the coronary arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic cells that produce insulin, and destroys them. This destruction can occur over many months or even years until it leads to the absence of insulin completely.
Insulin is needed by people who suffer from type 1 diabetes each day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and activities to keep their blood sugar in an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body doesn’t make use of insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells take blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells so that it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and follow a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
Signs of women having diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people from all races, ethnicities, and genders. Women are more susceptible than males.
Women who suffer from diabetes are more likely to develop complications, like heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and loss of vision.
One early warning sign of women suffering from diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urination, called polydipsia. This is due to diabetes causing excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood, and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to eliminate it properly.
Symptoms of diabetes in men
Diabetes is a condition in which cells are unable use glucose (blood sugar) for energy. This usually happens because the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body will then try to lower these levels by flushing out the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty, and need to drink plenty of fluids.
Men may be able to experience weight loss too as their bodies break down muscle for energy, instead of fat. This is because their blood sugar levels stay high for long periods.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is a key element in managing your diabetes. It can help regulate blood sugar levels, manage weight and reduce the risk factors for heart disease.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products such as beans, legumes, and beans are good choices. It should be free of added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You might also need to limit the amount of drinks that contain sugar you consume. These drinks usually contain high levels of sugar which can result in elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in a normal range. These medications are usually combined with changes in lifestyle, like diet and physical activity, to manage the condition.
If your blood sugar is not well controlled with one medication, you might require a second medication. Your doctor will assist you to choose the best medicine for your specific needs and preferences.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors as well as glucagon antagonists for the peptide-1 receptor, decrease blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as reducing the risk of developing complications. They also aid in weight loss, and are available in tablets and injections.