Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that affects millions of people each year. It is caused because the body doesn’t produce enough insulin or cannot use the insulin that it does have effectively.
Exercise, diet and medication can help prevent or delay the onset of the disease. It’s also important to be aware of the symptoms to determine the signs of a problem and get treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic health problem (long-lasting) that alters how your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or is unable to properly use it.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and use glucose, also referred to as sugar. People with type 2 diabetes do not produce enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it correctly.
In both types of diabetes, the blood sugar levels can become too high in time. This can lead to problems with the eyes, feet, and kidneys. It can also damage the heart and brain arteries as well as your brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction which means that your immune system attacks the insulin-producing pancreatic cells and destroys them. The destruction can happen over many months or even years and eventually lead to the complete absence of insulin.
Insulin is needed by people with type 1 diabetes all day. They also have to keep track of their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and activities to maintain their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body does not make use of insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells to remove blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells, where it can be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetes sufferers need to treat their diabetes with a healthy diet and regular exercise. They may also need to take medication to regulate their blood glucose levels.
The signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all races, ethnicities, and genders. However women are at higher risk than men.
Women with diabetes are more prone to experience complications, like heart disease (the most common complication associated with diabetes) and loss of vision.
One of the first signs of diabetes in women 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 are unable to filter it out.
Men with diabetes Men: Symptoms
In diabetes the cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This is usually due to the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.
This leads to high blood sugar levels. The body then attempts to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose from your bloodstream via urine.
People with diabetes are typically thirsty, and they need to drink lots of fluids.
Men can also lose weight because 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 balanced diet for diabetes is an important aspect of managing the condition. It can help control blood sugar levels, manage weight and reduce risk factors for heart disease.
Your diet should comprise plenty of whole foods, including fruits, whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You might also want to limit the amount of sugar-sweetened drinks you consume. These drinks typically contain a lot of sugar which can result in high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might prescribe diabetes medications to help keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the normal range. These medications are usually combined with lifestyle changes, like physical activity and diet, to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t well controlled by one medicine it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor can help you determine the most appropriate medicine for your personal preferences and needs.
The latest medications, including sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors as well as glucagon peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower blood sugar and offer benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as reducing the chance of developing complications. They also help with weight loss, and they come in both tablets and injections.