Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people every year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or it can’t use the insulin it does produce effectively.
Diet, exercise and medication can help prevent or delay the onset of the disease. It is important to know the symptoms, so you can determine if there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health issue (long-lasting) that affects the way your body converts food into energy. It happens when the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or isn’t able to properly use it.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body to absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. People suffering from type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it correctly.
The blood sugar levels increase over time in both kinds of diabetes. This can lead to problems with your feet, eyes and kidneys. It could also harm 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 take months or even years until it eventually leads to the complete absence of insulin.
Type 1 diabetics require insulin every day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their the levels of insulin, food and activity levels in order to keep their blood sugar within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body doesn’t utilize insulin in the way it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and adhere to a healthy diet. They may also have to take medication to regulate their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are afflicted with symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnicities, ages and genders. However women are at greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications compared to men, including heart disease (the most commonly reported diabetes complication) and vision loss.
Polydipsia can be a warning sign for women with diabetes. This is because diabetes causes excess sugar to build up in the blood, and your kidneys aren’t able to remove it effectively.
The signs of diabetes in men
In diabetes it is when cells are unable make use of blood sugar (glucose) to produce energy. This usually happens because the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. The body tries to reduce these levels by flushing the excess glucose out of your bloodstream via urine.
Patients with diabetes typically experience thirst and require to drink large quantities of fluids, up to four liters per day.
Men may also experience weight loss as their muscles are broken down by their bodies for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that the blood sugar level stays high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes can be an essential part of managing the condition. It can help you control blood sugar, control your weight, and reduce heart disease risk factors.
Include whole foods in your diet, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products, beans, and legumes are good choices. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You might want to limit your intake of drinks sweetened with sugar. These drinks are usually high in sugar which can cause blood sugar levels in the body to increase.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medication to keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes such as exercising and diet to help control your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t controlled by one medicine, a second medicine might be added. Your doctor can help you select the right medicine for your personal preferences and needs.
Newer medications, like sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors as well as glucagon antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar levels and provide benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as reducing the chance of developing complications. They are also beneficial for weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.