Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people every year. It happens when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when it’s not able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it is curable and can be prevented or delayed by diet, exercise and medications. It is also crucial to know the symptoms, to determine if there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that affects how your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas stops making enough insulin or isn’t able to use it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells absorb and use sugar, which is called glucose. People with type 2 diabetes don’t make enough insulin or their bodies don’t make it work properly.
In both types of diabetes, the blood sugar levels become too high over time. This can cause issues with the eyes, feet, and kidneys. It could also cause damage to blood vessels in your heart 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. The destruction can take place over months or even for years before resulting in the complete absence of insulin.
Insulin is required by those with type 1 diabetes all 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 in the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body isn’t functioning as insulin should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells move glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, which can then be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and follow a healthy diet. They also may need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Signs of women having diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all races and ethnicities, ages, and genders. However, women are at a higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes have a greater chance of developing complications compared to men, such as heart disease (the most commonly reported diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
One of the early warning signs of women with diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urine, a condition known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood, and your kidneys aren’t able to filter it out properly.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
In the case of diabetes it is when cells are unable use blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This usually happens because the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. The body tries to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose out of your bloodstream through urine.
People with diabetes frequently feel thirsty and need to drink large amounts of fluids. It can be as much as four liters daily.
Men may also experience weight loss as their muscles are broken down by their bodies for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar level remains high for extended periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet with a low-carbohydrate diet is an important aspect of managing the condition. It can help manage blood sugar levels control weight and reduce risk factors for heart disease.
Include whole foods in your diet, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products and legumes are good choices. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You may want to limit your intake of sweetened drinks with sugar. These drinks are usually high in sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels in the body to increase.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may suggest diabetic medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are typically combined with changes to your lifestyle, such as eating habits and physical activity to help manage the condition.
If your blood sugar is not being controlled by one medication, you may need to take a different medication. Your doctor will guide you to pick the best medication to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer medications, like sodium-glucose -cotransporter-2 inhibitors, and glucagon antagonists for the peptide-1 receptor, decrease blood sugar levels and provide benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the risk of developing complications. They also aid in weight loss, and come in both tablet and injection forms.