Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people each year. It occurs when your body isn’t producing enough insulin, or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
Diet, exercise and medication can help to prevent or delay the development of the disease. It’s important to be aware of symptoms to determine the signs of a problem and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long-lasting) that alters the way your body converts food into energy. It happens when the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or is unable to properly use it.
Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells absorb and use sugar, which is known as glucose. People with type 2 diabetes don’t make enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it correctly.
In both forms of diabetes, the blood sugar levels get too high in time. This can cause issues with the kidneys, eyes and feet. It can also cause damage to your heart arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic cells that produce insulin, and destroys them. This process can last for months or even for years, eventually resulting in the absence of insulin completely.
Insulin is needed by people with type 1 diabetes every day. They must also monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust food, insulin and activity levels in order to keep their blood glucose within the 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 hormone which helps your cells remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells so that it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetes sufferers need to treat their diabetes by consuming a balanced diet and regular exercise. They might also need to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people from all races, ethnicities, ages and genders. However, women are at a higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications compared to men, such as heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) and vision loss.
One early warning sign of women with diabetes is a higher thirst and increased urination, called polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in your blood and your kidneys aren’t able to eliminate it in a proper manner.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
In diabetes, cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This usually happens because the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body then tries to lower these levels by flushing out the excess glucose in your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty, and need to drink lots of fluids.
The men may also lose weight as their bodies rely on muscles for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that the blood sugar level stays high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diabetes diet can be an essential part of managing the condition. It can help you control blood sugar, control your weight, and reduce risk factors for heart disease.
Your diet should include plenty of whole foods, such as fruits, whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be free of saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may also consider limiting the amount of drinks that contain sugar you consume. These drinks typically contain high levels of sugar in them, which can lead to elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes-related medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These medicines are usually combined with lifestyle changes like eating habits and exercise to help control your diabetes.
If your blood sugar is not being adequately controlled with one medication, you may need to take a different medication. Your doctor will guide you to pick the best medication for your preferences and needs.
Newer drugs like glucagonlike receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose COtransporter-2 inhibitors decrease blood sugar levels, offer kidney and cardiovascular benefits and lower the risk of complications. They’re also helpful for weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.