Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease which affects millions of people every year. It occurs because the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or utilize the insulin it produces effectively.
Exercise, diet and medication can help to prevent or delay the onset of the disease. It’s also important to be aware of the symptoms to be able to tell whether something is wrong and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health condition (long-lasting) that affects the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or is unable to use it correctly.
Insulin is a hormone that helps cells absorb and utilize sugar, which is known as glucose. People with type 2 diabetes don’t make enough insulin or their bodies don’t make it work properly.
The blood sugar levels rise over time in both types of diabetes. This can lead to issues with your eyes, kidneys and feet. It can also harm the blood vessels in your heart as well as the brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cell in the pancreas. The destruction can take place over months or years, eventually leading to the complete absence of insulin.
Type 1 diabetics require insulin every day. They also must monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food and activity levels in order to keep their blood glucose within a healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes your body isn’t using insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that aids your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells which can then be used to create energy.
People suffering from type 2 diabetes must treat their condition with a healthy diet and exercise. They also may need to take medicine to control their blood sugar levels.
Signs of women having diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races, ethnicities, ages and genders. Women are more at risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more likely to develop complications, such as heart disease (the most common complication associated with diabetes), and vision loss.
One of the early signs of women with diabetes is a rise in thirst and the frequency of urination, which is known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to build up in your blood and kidneys can’t remove it.
Men with diabetes: Symptoms
In the case of diabetes, cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is usually because the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This can result in high blood glucose levels. Your body then attempts to reduce these levels by flushing the excess glucose out of your bloodstream through urine.
People who have diabetes often are thirsty and have to drink large quantities of fluids, up to four liters a day.
Men can also 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 remain high for extended periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diabetes diet can be an essential part of managing the condition. It can help you control blood sugar levels, reduce your weight and the risk of heart disease by reducing risk factors.
Your diet should comprise plenty of whole foods, such as fruits, whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be low in saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You might want to limit your intake of drinks sweetened with sugar. These drinks often have lots of sugar in them that can cause high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medications
Your doctor might recommend diabetic medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in normal levels. These medications are typically paired with lifestyle changes, such as exercising and diet to help you manage your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t controlled on one medicine then a second medication could be added. Your doctor will work with you to select the best medicine for your needs and preferences.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptors, lower blood sugar and have benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as decreasing the chance of developing complications. They also help with weight loss, and come in both tablets and injections.