Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people each year. It occurs when your body isn’t producing enough insulin, or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
Diet, exercise and medication can all help in preventing or delaying the disease. It is also important to know the symptoms, so you can identify if there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health problem (long-lasting), which alters the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin, or fails to use it as effectively as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, also known as glucose. People with type 2 diabetes aren’t able to make enough insulin or their bodies don’t make it work properly.
The blood sugar levels increase with time in both forms of diabetes. This can cause issues with the kidneys, eyes and feet. It could also harm your heart 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 process can last for months or even for years until it leads to the complete absence of insulin.
Insulin is needed by people with type 1 diabetes every day. They also need to monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust their food, insulin and activity levels in order to keep their blood sugar within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes the body isn’t using insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormonal substance that aids your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells which can then be utilized to generate energy.
People suffering from type 2 diabetes need to treat their diabetes by consuming a balanced diet and exercise. They may also need to take medications to control their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people from all races, ethnicities, and genders. However women are at higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to experience complications, like heart disease (the most frequent diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
One of the early signs of women with diabetes is increased thirst and urination, called polydipsia. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to accumulate in your bloodstream and kidneys can’t eliminate it.
Symptoms of diabetes in men
Diabetes is a disease in which cells are unable use glucose (blood sugar) for energy. This is usually because the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.
This can lead to high blood sugar levels. Your body then tries to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty, and need to drink lots of fluids.
Men can also lose weight because their bodies utilize muscles to generate energy, not fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar level remains high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is a vital aspect of managing your condition. It can help you control blood sugar, reduce your weight and the risk of heart disease by reducing risk factors.
Include whole foods in your diet, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products and legumes are excellent choices. It should be low in saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may be advised to limit your consumption of drinks that are sweetened with sugar. These drinks are typically packed with sugar which can cause blood sugar levels in the body to increase.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These medications are usually combined with lifestyle changes, such as physical activity and diet, to manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well managed by one medication, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor will assist you to select the best medicine for your needs and preferences.
Newer medications like glucagon-like receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose inhibitors that lower blood sugar levels, have cardiovascular and kidney benefits, and reduce the risk of complications. They also aid in weight loss, and are available in tablet and injection forms.