Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people each year. It happens when your body isn’t producing enough insulin, or when it isn’t able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it is treatable and can be avoided or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It’s important to be aware of symptoms to be able to tell if something is wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that affects the way your body turns food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas stops producing enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as well as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists cells absorb and utilize sugar, also known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics do not produce enough insulin or are unable to use it properly.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels get excessively high over time. This can cause problems with your eyes, kidneys and feet. It could also cause damage to blood vessels in your heart as well as the brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic cells that produce insulin, and destroys them. The destruction can take place over months or even years until it eventually leads to a total lack of insulin.
Insulin is required by people with type 1 diabetes all day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and levels of exercise to maintain their blood sugar within the normal range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body is not making the insulin it needs to. Insulin is a hormonal substance that aids your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells which is then utilized to generate energy.
Type 2 diabetics have to exercise and eat a balanced diet. They may also have to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
It is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnicities, ages and genders. Women are at greater risk than men.
Women who suffer from diabetes are more likely to experience complications, such as heart disease (the most common complication associated with diabetes) and loss of vision.
One early warning sign of women suffering from diabetes is increased thirst and urination, called polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood, and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to get rid of it effectively.
Diabetes in men Men: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes, cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This usually happens because the pancreas doesn’t produce enough 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 via urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty, and they need to drink a lot of fluids.
The men may also lose weight since their bodies use muscles to generate energy, not fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels remain high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is an important part of managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar, reduce your weight and heart disease risk factors.
Include whole foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products such as beans, legumes, and beans are a good choice. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You may consider limiting your consumption of drinks that are sweetened with sugar. These drinks are often packed with sugar which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the normal range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes like diet and exercise to help you manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar is not being adequately controlled with one medication, you may require a second medication. Your doctor will guide you to pick the best medication for your preferences and needs.
Newer drugs like glucagonlike receptor antagonists for peptide-1 and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors reduce blood sugar, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits, and lower the risk of complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss, and they come in both tablet and injection forms.