Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions each year. It happens when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or it can’t use the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it can be treated and can be avoided or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It’s also important to be aware of the symptoms to determine what’s wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long-lasting) that alters how your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or can’t use it as effectively as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists cells absorb and utilize sugar, which is called glucose. Type 2 diabetics don’t make enough insulin or cannot use it effectively.
In both forms of diabetes, the blood sugar levels can become excessively high over time. This can cause problems in the feet, eyes and kidneys. It can also damage the blood vessels in your heart 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.
People with type 1 diabetes require insulin every day. They also have to keep track of their blood glucose levels and adjust the levels of insulin, food and activity levels to keep their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2, your body is not making the insulin it needs to. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells to remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells so that it can be used for energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and follow a healthy diet. They might also need to take medicine to control their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people from all races, ethnicities, and genders. Women are at greater risk than males.
Women who suffer from diabetes are more likely to experience complications, like heart disease (the most frequent diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
One of the first signs of women with diabetes is increased thirst and urinary frequency, also known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to accumulate in your bloodstream and kidneys are unable to filter it out.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
Diabetes is a condition that occurs when cells are unable to utilize glucose (blood sugar) as energy source. This usually happens because the pancreas is producing too little insulin.
This results in high blood sugar levels. Your body then attempts to lower these levels by flushing excess glucose out of your bloodstream through urine.
People suffering from diabetes frequently are thirsty and have to drink large quantities of fluids. This can be up to four liters a day.
Men can also experience weight loss since their bodies break down muscle to make energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar level remains high for extended periods of time.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is a key element in managing your diabetes. It can help you manage your blood sugar, control your weight, and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products such as beans, legumes, and beans are a good choice. It should be low in added sugars and saturated fats (unhealthy).
You might also be able to reduce the amount of drinks that contain sugar you consume. These drinks typically contain lots of sugar in them that can cause elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes-related medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are typically combined with changes in lifestyle, like physical activity and diet, to manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well controlled by one medicine then a second medication could be added. Your doctor will assist you to select the best medicine for your requirements and preferences.
Newer drugs like glucagonlike receptor agonists, peptide-1, and sodium-glucose inhibitors that lower blood sugar levels, offer kidney and cardiovascular benefits, and lower the risk of complications. They also help with weight loss and come in both tablet and injection forms.