Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions each year. It is caused 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 can be cured and can be prevented or delayed by diet, exercise and medications. It’s also important to be aware of the symptoms to determine what’s wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body transforms food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin, or fails to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that helps cells absorb and utilize sugar, also known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics aren’t producing enough insulin, or their bodies aren’t able to use it correctly.
The blood sugar levels rise with time in both forms of diabetes. This can cause problems in the kidneys, eyes and feet. It can also harm the 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 pancreatic insulin-producing cells and destroys them. This process can last for many months or even years until it leads to the absence of insulin completely.
Insulin is required by people who suffer from type 1 diabetes each day. They also need to monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust the levels of insulin, food and activity levels to keep their blood sugar within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 the body isn’t functioning as insulin should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, which is then used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and adhere to a healthy diet. They may also have to take medication to regulate their blood glucose levels.
Signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races and ethnicities age, genders, and ages. However, women are at a greater risk than men.
Women who suffer from diabetes are more likely to experience complications, including heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication), and vision loss.
One early warning sign of women suffering from diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urine, a condition known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your blood and kidneys are unable to filter it out.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
In diabetes it is when cells are unable make use of blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This is typically because the pancreas produces insufficient insulin.
This leads to elevated blood sugar levels. The body tries to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
People who have diabetes often have a thirsty feeling and must drink large amounts of fluids. This can be up to four liters a day.
Men can also lose weight since their bodies utilize muscles for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels remain high for extended periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes is an important part of managing your diabetes. It can help regulate blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products, beans, and legumes are a good choice. It should be free of 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 to increase.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might recommend diabetes medication to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are often combined with changes to your lifestyle, such as exercise and diet to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well controlled on one medicine another medicine could be added. Your doctor will work with you to pick the best medication for your requirements and preferences.
Newer medicines like glucagon-like receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors lower blood sugar levels, offer cardiovascular and kidney benefits, and reduce the risk of complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.