Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that is affecting millions of people each year. It occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or cannot use the insulin that it produces effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can help prevent or delay the disease. It’s also important to be aware of the symptoms to know what’s wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) disease that affects the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or fails to use it correctly.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body absorb and use glucose, also referred to as sugar. People suffering from type 2 diabetes don’t make enough insulin, or their bodies can’t make it work properly.
The blood sugar levels rise as time passes in both types of diabetes. This can lead to problems with your feet, eyes, and kidneys. It can also damage your heart arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks pancreatic cells that produce insulin and destroys them. This destruction can occur over months or even for years until it leads to the absence of insulin completely.
Type 1 diabetics require 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 an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2, your body is not functioning as insulin should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells move glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells which is then used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetes sufferers must treat their condition through a healthy diet and regular exercise. They may also have to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects all races, ethnic groups age, genders, and ages. However, women are at a greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes have a higher likelihood of developing complications than men, such as heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and vision loss.
Polydipsia is a sign of warning for diabetes in women. This is because diabetes causes excess sugar to build up in the blood and your kidneys aren’t equipped to filter it out properly.
Men with diabetes: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes, cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas does not produce enough insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body then tries to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty and require to drink plenty of fluids.
Men also may lose weight because their bodies utilize muscles for energy instead of fat. This is because their blood sugar levels stay elevated for long periods.
Diabetes diet
Making a balanced diabetes diet is an important part of managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage weight and decrease the risk factors that can lead to heart disease.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products as well as legumes, beans and beans are excellent choices. It should be low in added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You may also want to limit the amount of drinks that contain sugar you consume. These drinks often have plenty of sugar that can cause elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in the normal range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes like eating habits and exercise to help you manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well managed by one medication another medicine could be added. Your doctor can help you choose the best medicine to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer medications like glucagon-like receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors reduce blood sugar levels, offer kidney and cardiovascular benefits and reduce the risk of complications. They also aid in weight loss and are available in tablet and injection forms.