Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness which affects millions of people every year. It happens when your body isn’t producing enough insulin, or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it is treatable and avoided or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It’s important to be aware of symptoms to know if something is wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that affects how your body transforms food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas stops making enough insulin or can’t use it as well as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, which is called glucose. People with type 2 diabetes aren’t able to make enough insulin or their bodies don’t use it properly.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels can become excessively high over time. This can cause problems with your eyes, feet and kidneys. It can also cause damage to your brain and heart arteries.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells inside the pancreas. The process of destruction can last for many years or months until it eventually leads to an inability to produce insulin.
People suffering from type 1 diabetes must take insulin each day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activity levels to maintain their blood sugar within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2, your body is not using insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells where it is used to create energy.
People with type 2 diabetes have to manage their condition by eating a balanced diet and regular exercise. They may also need to take medication to regulate their blood glucose levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races and ethnic groups age, genders, and ages. Women are more at risk than men.
Women with diabetes are at a greater risk chance of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) and vision loss.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for women suffering from diabetes. This is because diabetes causes excess sugar to build up in the bloodstream and your kidneys aren’t equipped to filter it out effectively.
The signs of diabetes in men
In diabetes the cells are unable make use of blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is typically because the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. Your body attempts to reduce these levels by flushing the excess glucose out of your bloodstream via urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty, and they have to drink lots of fluids.
Men can also experience weight loss as their bodies break down muscle for energy instead of fat. This is because their blood sugar levels stay high for long periods.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is an important part of managing your condition. It can help regulate blood sugar levels control weight and reduce the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products as well as legumes, beans and beans are a good choice. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You may need to limit your consumption of beverages sweetened with sugar. These drinks usually contain lots of sugar in them that can cause elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes such as exercise and diet to help control your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well controlled by one medicine it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor will guide you to choose the best medicine for your personal preferences and needs.
Newer medications, like sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists for the peptide-1 receptor, decrease blood sugar and have benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while decreasing the chance of developing complications. They are also useful for weight loss, and they come in both tablet and injection forms.