Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people every year. It is caused when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it isn’t able to use the insulin it does produce effectively.
The good news is that it is curable and prevented or delayed with diet, exercise and medication. It is also essential to be aware of the symptoms so you can tell what’s wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic illness (long-lasting), which impacts the way your body converts food into energy. It occurs when your pancreas does not produce enough insulin or fails to utilize it in a proper manner.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body to absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. People with type 2 diabetes don’t produce enough insulin, or their bodies can’t utilize it correctly.
In both forms of diabetes, blood sugar levels get too high in time. This can lead to issues with the kidneys, eyes and feet. It may also cause damage to the coronary arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas. The process of destruction can last for several years or even decades before eventually resulting in the total absence of insulin.
Insulin is required by those who suffer from type 1 diabetes each day. They must also keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin, food, and activity levels to maintain their blood sugar within an acceptable range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 your body isn’t producing insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that assists your cells take blood sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells where it can be used to create energy.
People with type 2 diabetes must treat their condition through a healthy diet and regular exercise. They might also need to take medication to control their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are more likely to experience symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races as well as ethnic groups and ages as well as genders. Women are at greater risk than men.
Women who suffer from diabetes are more likely to develop complications, such as heart disease (the most frequent diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
One of the first signs of diabetes in women is increased thirst and urine, a condition known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can result in excess sugar accumulation in your bloodstream and kidneys can’t remove it.
Symptoms of diabetes in men
In diabetes the cells are unable to use blood sugar (glucose) to generate energy. This is typically due to the fact that the pancreas produces too little insulin.
This leads to high blood sugar levels. Your body will then try to lower the level by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream through urine.
Patients with diabetes are usually thirsty, and need to drink lots of fluids.
The men may also lose weight because their bodies rely on muscle for energy rather than fat. This is because their blood sugar levels remain high for extended periods.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is a vital aspect of managing your condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar levels, control your weight, and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
You should include whole food items in your diet, including fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Also, dairy products that are low in fat products, beans, and legumes are excellent choices. It should also be low in saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You might also want to limit the amount of drinks that contain sugar you consume. These drinks are usually packed with sugar which can cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might recommend diabetic medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within an acceptable range. These medications are typically combined with changes to your lifestyle, such as diet and physical activity, to manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not being managed well with one medication, you might require a second medication. Your doctor will assist you to select the most appropriate medication for your requirements and preferences.
The latest medications, including sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor antagonists, lower blood sugar and have benefits for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the risk of developing complications. They can also be beneficial for weight loss, and come in both tablet and injection forms.