Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people every year. It is caused when the body is unable to produce enough insulin, or fails to utilize the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it can be treated and prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medication. It is also essential to be aware of symptoms to know what’s wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects the way your body turns food into energy. It happens when your pancreas isn’t producing enough insulin or can’t use it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells absorb and use sugar, also known as glucose. Type 2 diabetics don’t produce enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to use it effectively.
In both types of diabetes, blood sugar levels can become too high in time. This can cause problems in the feet, eyes, and kidneys. It could also cause damage to arteries 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 process can take months or years and eventually lead to 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 their food, insulin and activity levels in order to keep their blood glucose within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not use insulin the way 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 to create energy.
People suffering from type 2 diabetes must treat their condition by eating a balanced diet and exercise. They may also need to take medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are afflicted with symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects all races, ethnic groups age, genders, and ages. However, women are at a higher risk than males.
Women with diabetes are more prone to suffer from complications, like heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
One of the early signs of women suffering from diabetes is increased thirst and urination, called polydipsia. This is because diabetes causes excess sugar to build up in the blood, and your kidneys aren’t able to remove it in a proper manner.
Men with symptoms of diabetes
In the case of diabetes the cells are unable to make use of blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is typically because the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body then tries to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
People with diabetes frequently experience thirst and require to drink large amounts of fluids. This can be up to four liters daily.
Men also may lose weight as their bodies make use of muscles to generate energy, not fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is a crucial aspect of managing your condition. It can help control blood sugar levels, manage weight and reduce the risk factors for heart diseases.
It is important to include whole foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products such as beans, legumes, and beans are a good choice. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You might also need to limit the amount of drinks that contain sugar you consume. These drinks usually contain lots of sugar which can result in high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes medications to help 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 help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar is not well controlled with one medication, you may require a second medication. Your doctor will assist you determine the most appropriate medicine to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as reducing the chance of developing complications. They also help with weight loss and come in both tablets and injections.