Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that is affecting millions of people each year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it is curable and prevented or delayed by diet, exercise and medication. It is important to understand the symptoms so you can determine whether you are suffering from a condition and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that affects how your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or isn’t able to use it as well as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells absorb and use sugar, which is known as glucose. People suffering from type 2 diabetes aren’t able to make enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to make it work properly.
The blood sugar levels increase over time in both kinds of diabetes. This can lead to problems with your eyes, feet, and kidneys. It can also harm the arteries in your heart and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a disease caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks pancreatic insulin-producing cells and destroys them. This destruction can happen over several years or even decades until it eventually leads to the complete absence of insulin.
People suffering from type 1 diabetes must take insulin each day. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their the insulin, food and activity levels in order to keep their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body is not producing insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells take blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells so that it can be used for energy.
People with type 2 diabetes have to manage their condition through a healthy diet and regular exercise. They may also need to take medication to regulate their blood glucose levels.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races, ethnicities, and genders. Women are more at risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to suffer from complications, like heart disease (the most common complication associated with diabetes), and vision loss.
Polydipsia can be a warning sign for diabetes in women. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to accumulate in your blood and your kidneys are not able to eliminate it.
Men with diabetes The signs and symptoms
Diabetes is a condition where cells are unable use glucose (blood sugar) to generate energy. This is usually because the pancreas is producing too little insulin.
This results in elevated blood sugar levels. The body tries to reduce these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty and require to drink lots of fluids.
Men also may lose weight because their bodies make use of muscle for energy rather than fat. This is due to the fact that the blood sugar level stays high for extended periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diabetes diet is an important aspect of managing the condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar, manage your weight, and lower risk factors for heart disease.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole foods like fruits, whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be free of added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You may be advised to limit your consumption of drinks sweetened with sugar. These drinks are often packed with sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels in the body to increase.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may suggest diabetes medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in the normal range. These medications are typically paired with lifestyle changes like exercising and diet to help you manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well managed on one medication, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor will work with you to select the most appropriate medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
Newer medications, such as sodium-glucose -cotransporter-2 inhibitors, and glucagon peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as reducing the risk of developing complications. They also aid in weight loss, and they are available in tablets and injections.