Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people each year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it can’t use the insulin it does produce effectively.
Exercise, diet and medication can help prevent or delay the disease. 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 an ongoing (long-lasting) disease that affects how your body turns food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas stops making enough insulin, or fails to use it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, which is known as glucose. People suffering from type 2 diabetes do not produce enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to make it in a proper way.
In both types of diabetes, the blood sugar levels get too high over time. This can cause issues with your eyes, kidneys and feet. It may also cause damage to the coronary arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks pancreatic insulin-producing cells and destroys them. This destruction can happen over months or years until it eventually leads to the total absence of insulin.
Type 1 diabetics require insulin every day. They also must monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust their the levels of 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 doesn’t make insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that aids your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells where it is used to create 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.
The signs of diabetes in women
It is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnicities and genders. However women are at greater risk than men.
Women who suffer from diabetes have a higher likelihood of developing complications than men, such as heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia is a warning sign for women who suffer from diabetes. This is because diabetes can create excess sugar in your bloodstream, and your kidneys cannot remove it.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
Diabetes is a condition where cells are not able to use glucose (blood sugar) as energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas does not produce enough insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. Your body will then attempt to lower the level by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes typically feel thirsty and need to drink large amounts of fluids, as much as 4 liters a day.
Men may also experience weight loss since their muscles are broken down by their bodies for energy, instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels remain high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes is an important part of managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage your weight and reduce heart disease risk factors.
You should 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 excellent choices. It should be free of added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You might want to limit your intake of drinks that are sweetened with sugar. These drinks are often high in sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels in the body to increase.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medication to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are typically paired with lifestyle changes such as exercising and diet to help manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t managed by one medication another medicine could be added. Your doctor can help you pick the best medication for your preferences and needs.
Newer medications, such as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists for the peptide-1 receptor, decrease blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the risk of complications. They also aid in weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.