Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people every year. It happens when your body isn’t producing enough insulin, or when it’s unable to utilize the insulin it does produce effectively.
Diet, exercise and medication can all help in preventing or delaying the disease. It is important to understand the symptoms to determine whether there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health issue (long-lasting), which impacts the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body to absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. Type 2 diabetics aren’t producing enough insulin or cannot use it effectively.
In both forms of diabetes, the blood sugar levels get too high over time. This can lead to problems with your eyes, kidneys and feet. 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 insulin-producing pancreatic cells and destroys them. This destruction can happen over many years or months, eventually leading to the total absence of insulin.
Insulin is needed by people with type 1 diabetes every day. They must also monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust the levels of insulin, food and activity levels in order to keep their blood glucose within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not utilize insulin in the way it should. Insulin is a hormone that aids your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, where it can be used to create energy.
Type 2 diabetics have to exercise and eat a balanced diet. They may also need to take medicine to control their blood sugar levels.
Diabetes in women symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races, ethnicities, ages and genders. Women are more at risk than males.
Women who suffer from diabetes are more likely to develop complications, like heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and loss of vision.
One of the early warning signs of diabetes in women is a higher thirst and increased urine, a condition known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can create excess sugar 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 use glucose (blood sugar) as energy source. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body then attempts to lower these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
People with diabetes frequently are thirsty and have to drink large amounts of fluids. This can be up to 4 liters a day.
Men may also shed weight as their bodies make use of muscles for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar level remains high for extended periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is a key element in managing your diabetes. It can help control blood sugar levels and weight, as well as reduce the risk factors for heart diseases.
Include whole foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products and legumes are good choices. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You might also be able to reduce the amount of sugar-sweetened drinks you consume. These drinks are often high in sugar and can cause blood sugar levels to increase.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medication to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a normal range. These medications are typically combined with changes in lifestyle, like physical activity and diet, to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar is not being controlled by one medicine, you may need to add a second medication. Your doctor will guide you to select the right medicine to meet your needs and preferences.
Newer medications such as glucagon-like receptor agonists, peptide-1, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors reduce blood sugar levels, have cardiovascular and kidney benefits, and reduce the risk of complications. They also aid in weight loss and are available in injectable and tablet forms.