Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people each year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or when it’s not able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it can be treated and avoided or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It’s also important to be aware of the symptoms to know if something is wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health problem (long-lasting), which alters the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or can’t use it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics don’t make enough insulin, or their bodies aren’t able to use it effectively.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels become too high in time. This can cause problems with your eyes, kidneys and feet. It could also harm your heart arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease, meaning that the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. The process of destruction can last for several years or even decades and eventually lead to the complete absence of insulin.
Insulin is a requirement for people with type 1 diabetes every day. They must also monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and activity levels to keep their blood sugar in a 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 which helps your cells remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics must exercise and follow a healthy diet. They may also have to take medications to manage their blood sugar levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all races and ethnicities age, genders, and ages. However, women are at a higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more likely to develop complications, including heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication), and vision loss.
One of the early signs of diabetes in women is a rise in thirst and urinary frequency, also known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excessive sugar to accumulate in the bloodstream and the kidneys aren’t able get rid of it in a proper manner.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
Diabetes is a condition in which cells are unable to utilize glucose (blood sugar) for energy. This is typically because the pancreas is producing too little insulin.
This can lead to high blood sugar levels. The body tries to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and they need to drink lots of fluids.
Men may also lose weight as their bodies rely on muscles for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes is a crucial aspect of managing the condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar levels, manage your weight, and lower risk factors for heart disease.
Include whole foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, low-fat dairy products and legumes are excellent choices. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You might want to limit your intake of beverages sweetened with sugar. These drinks are typically packed with sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within an acceptable range. These drugs are often paired with lifestyle changes, like exercise and diet to manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels are not being controlled by one medicine, you may need to take a different medication. Your doctor will guide you to pick the best medication to suit your preferences and needs.
The latest medications, including sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptors, lower blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as decreasing the risk of developing complications. They also aid in weight loss, and they are available in tablets and injections.