Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious illness that affects millions of people every year. It occurs when your body isn’t producing enough insulin, or it’s unable to utilize the insulin it does produce effectively.
Exercise, diet and medications can help to prevent or delay the disease. It’s also important to be aware of symptoms to be able to tell the signs of a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic illness (long-lasting), which alters the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when the pancreas stops making enough insulin or isn’t able to use it as effectively as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, which is called glucose. People with type 2 diabetes do not produce enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to make it in a proper way.
The blood sugar levels increase with time in both forms of diabetes. This can lead to problems with the eyes, feet, and kidneys. It can also damage your brain and heart arteries.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks the pancreatic insulin-producing cells and destroys them. The destruction can take place over months or even years, eventually resulting in the complete absence of insulin.
Insulin is needed by people who suffer from type 1 diabetes each day. They also have to keep track of their blood glucose levels and adjust the insulin, food and activity levels in order to keep their blood glucose 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 take blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells so that it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics have to exercise and eat a healthy diet. They might also need to take medications to manage their blood sugar levels.
Signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects people of all races as well as ethnic groups and ages as well as genders. However, women are at a higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes have a greater chance of developing complications than men, including heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) and vision loss.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for women who suffer from diabetes. This is due to diabetes causing excessive sugar to accumulate in your blood and your kidneys don’t have the capacity to get rid of it in a proper manner.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
In diabetes, cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This usually happens because the pancreas produces insufficient insulin.
This can lead to high blood glucose levels. Your body then tries to lower these levels by flushing out the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
Patients with diabetes typically feel thirsty and need to drink large quantities of fluids, as much as four liters daily.
Men can also lose weight as their bodies rely on muscle for energy rather than fat. This is due to the fact that the blood sugar level stays high for extended periods of time.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is an important part of managing your condition. It can help manage blood sugar levels, manage weight and reduce the risk factors for heart disease.
Include whole foods in your diet, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products, beans, and legumes are great choices. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fats and added sugars.
You might also be able to reduce the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks are typically packed with sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes-related medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the normal range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes such as eating habits and exercise to help you manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not well controlled with one medication, you might need to add a second medication. Your doctor will assist you to pick the most appropriate medicine for your requirements and preferences.
Newer medications like glucagon-like receptor agonists, peptide-1, and sodium-glucose inhibitors that lower blood sugar, have cardiovascular and kidney benefits, and lower the risk of complications. They also aid in weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.