Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease which affects millions of people every year. It happens when the body does not produce enough insulin or cannot make use of the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can help to prevent or delay the progression of the disease. It is important to be aware of the signs, to determine whether 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 happens when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or fails to properly use it.
Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells absorb and use sugar, which is known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics aren’t producing enough insulin, or their bodies are unable to use it effectively.
The blood sugar levels rise as time passes in both types of diabetes. This can cause problems with your eyes, kidneys and feet. It could also cause damage to arteries in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease and means that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells inside the pancreas. The destruction can take place over months or years before eventually resulting in an inability to produce insulin.
Insulin is required by those with type 1 diabetes all day. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their food, insulin and activity levels to keep their blood glucose within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body does not use insulin the way it should. Insulin is a hormonal substance that aids in the movement of glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells which is then utilized to generate energy.
People suffering from type 2 diabetes have to manage their condition through a healthy diet and exercise. They may also need to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are afflicted with symptoms
It is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnicities and genders. 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 frequent complication of diabetes) and loss of vision.
One of the early warning signs of women suffering from diabetes is increased thirst and urine, a condition known as polydipsia. This is due to diabetes causing excessive sugar to accumulate in the blood and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to eliminate it in a proper manner.
Diabetes in men: Symptoms
Diabetes is a disease in which cells are unable to utilize glucose (blood sugar) as energy source. This usually happens because the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body then attempts to lower these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
People who have diabetes often have a thirsty feeling and must drink large amounts of fluids, as much as 4 liters a day.
Men can also experience weight loss since their bodies break down muscle to make energy, instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is a vital aspect of managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar levels, control your weight, and reduce risk factors for heart disease.
Your diet should include plenty of whole food items, including fruits vegetables, whole grains, beans and low-fat dairy. It should be free of added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You might need to limit your consumption of drinks that are sweetened with sugar. These drinks often have a lot of sugar, which can lead to high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might recommend diabetes medications to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in the normal range. These medications are often combined with changes in lifestyle, like physical activity and diet, to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well controlled on one medicine then a second medication could be added. Your doctor will work with you to determine the best medicine for your needs and preferences.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while decreasing the risk of developing complications. They are also beneficial for weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.