Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people every year. It is caused when your body isn’t producing enough insulin or it can’t use the insulin it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can all help in preventing or delaying the onset of the disease. It is important to understand the symptoms so you can determine whether you have a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health issue that affects the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or isn’t able to use it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body absorb and utilize glucose, also referred to as sugar. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin or aren’t able to use it in a proper way.
In both types of diabetes, the blood sugar levels are excessively high over time. This can cause problems with the kidneys, eyes and feet. It could also cause damage to 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 the pancreatic cells that produce insulin, and destroys them. This process can take several years or even decades, eventually leading to the total absence of insulin.
People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day. They also have to keep track of their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and activity levels to maintain their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body may not make insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells get blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells so that it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics have to exercise and eat a healthy diet. They may also need to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
Symptoms of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people from all races, ethnicities, ages and genders. Women are at higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes have a greater chance of developing complications compared to men, such as heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and loss of vision.
One of the first signs of women suffering from 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 don’t have the capacity to filter it out correctly.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
Diabetes is a condition in which cells are unable to use glucose (blood sugar) as energy. This is typically because the pancreas is producing too little insulin.
This can lead to high blood sugar levels. Your body will then try to lower the levels by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes typically feel thirsty and need to drink large quantities of fluids, up to four liters per day.
Men can also experience weight loss as their bodies break down muscle to make 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 aspect of managing the condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease the risk factors for heart diseases.
Include whole foods in your diet, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products such as beans, legumes, and beans are excellent choices. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You might want to limit your intake of drinks that are sweetened with sugar. These drinks typically contain plenty of sugar in them and can cause high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes-related medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These medications are often combined with changes to your lifestyle, such as exercise and diet to help manage the condition.
If your blood sugar is not being controlled by one medication, you might need to add a second medication. Your doctor will assist you to choose the best medicine for your requirements and preferences.
Newer medications like glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors reduce blood sugar levels, offer kidney and cardiovascular benefits and lower the risk of complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss, and they come in both tablets and injections.