Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people each year. It happens when the body is unable to produce enough insulin or cannot utilize the insulin it produces effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can help prevent or delay the disease. It is important to know the symptoms, so you can identify if there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health issue that affects the way your body turns food into energy. It happens when your pancreas does not produce enough insulin or is unable to utilize it in a proper manner.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body to absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics aren’t producing enough insulin, or their bodies cannot use it correctly.
In both types of diabetes, the blood sugar levels are excessively high over time. This can lead to issues with the eyes, kidneys and feet. It may also cause damage to the coronary arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks insulin-producing pancreatic cells and destroys them. This process can take months or even years until it eventually leads to a total lack of insulin.
Insulin is required by people who suffer from type 1 diabetes each day. They also have to keep track of their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activity levels to keep their blood glucose within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 the body isn’t functioning as insulin should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetics have to exercise and follow a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
Signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races, ethnic groups age, genders, and ages. Women are more susceptible than males.
Women who suffer from diabetes are more likely to suffer from complications, like heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes), and vision loss.
One of the first signs of women with diabetes is increased thirst and urination, called polydipsia. This is due to diabetes causing excess sugar to build up in the blood and your kidneys aren’t equipped to eliminate it correctly.
Diabetes in men: Symptoms
Diabetes is a condition where cells are unable to use glucose (blood sugar) to generate energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas does not produce enough insulin.
This can lead to elevated blood sugar levels. The body then attempts to lower these levels by flushing out the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty, and they need to drink plenty of fluids.
Men also may lose weight as their bodies utilize muscles to generate energy, not fat. This is due to their blood sugar levels stay high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet with a low-carbohydrate diet can be an essential part of managing the condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar, reduce your weight and the risk of heart disease by reducing risk factors.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole food items, including fruits whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You may also need to limit the amount of sugar-sweetened drinks you consume. These drinks are usually high in sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels in the body to increase.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These medications are usually combined with lifestyle changes, like physical activity and diet, to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t managed on one medication it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor can help you determine the most appropriate medicine for your preferences and needs.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptors, lower blood sugar and have benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as reducing the chance of developing complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss, and are available in tablet and injection forms.