Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that is affecting millions of people each year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or it can’t use the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it is treatable and treated or delayed through diet, exercise and medications. It is also crucial to be aware of the signs, so you can identify whether there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) disease that affects the way your body transforms food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or fails to use it correctly.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce 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 lead to issues with your eyes, kidneys and feet. It may also cause damage to 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 cells that produce insulin and destroys them. The process of destruction can last for months or even years until it eventually leads to a total lack of insulin.
Insulin is required by people with type 1 diabetes every day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their the levels of insulin, food and activity levels to keep their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body doesn’t make insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone which helps your cells get blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetics should exercise and eat a balanced diet. They may also have to take medication to manage their blood glucose levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnic groups age, genders, and ages. However women are at a greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications compared to men, such as heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia can be a warning sign for women suffering from diabetes. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your bloodstream, and your kidneys cannot eliminate it.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
In the case of diabetes the cells are unable use blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This is usually because the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This leads to high blood sugar levels. Your body attempts to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty, and need to drink a lot of fluids.
The men may also lose weight because their bodies use muscle for energy rather than fat. This is due to the fact that the blood sugar level stays high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes is a key element in managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar, control your weight, and reduce heart disease risk factors.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole foods like fruits, whole grains, vegetables, beans and low-fat dairy. 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 sweetened with sugar. These drinks usually contain plenty of sugar in them which can result in elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes-related medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medicines are usually combined with lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise to help control your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well managed by one medication another medicine could be added. Your doctor will work with you to pick the best medicine for your requirements and preferences.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors as well as glucagon antagonists of the peptide-1 receptors, lower blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as decreasing the chance of developing complications. They also aid in weight loss, and come in both tablet and injection forms.