Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a terribly debilitating disease that is affecting millions of people each year. It occurs when your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, or it can’t use the insulin it does have effectively.
The good news is that it can be treated and prevented or delayed by diet, exercise and medications. It is also essential to be aware of the symptoms to determine whether something is wrong and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) health issue that affects how your body turns food into energy. It happens when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as effectively as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body absorb and use glucose, also referred to as sugar. People suffering from type 2 diabetes aren’t able to make enough insulin or their bodies aren’t able to utilize it correctly.
The blood sugar levels rise over time in both types of diabetes. This can cause problems with the kidneys, eyes and feet. It could also cause damage to blood vessels in your heart as well as the brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease and means that the body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells inside the pancreas. This destruction can occur over several months or even years until it leads to a complete lack of insulin.
Type 1 diabetics require insulin every day. They also need to monitor their blood sugar levels and adjust their food, insulin and activity levels in order to keep their blood sugar within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not make use of insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps your cells move glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells, which can then be used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics have to exercise and follow a healthy diet. They might also need to take medications to manage their blood sugar levels.
Women with diabetes are afflicted with symptoms
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects all races and ethnic groups as well as ages and genders. Women are at greater risk than males.
Women with diabetes have a higher chance of developing complications compared to men, such as heart disease (the most common diabetes complication) and loss of vision.
Polydipsia is one of the warning signs for diabetes in women. This is due to diabetes causing excessive sugar to accumulate in your blood and your kidneys aren’t equipped to eliminate it correctly.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
Diabetes is a disease in which cells are unable to use glucose (blood sugar) as energy. This usually happens because the pancreas ceases to produce enough insulin.
This causes high blood sugar levels. Your body then tries to lower these levels by flushing the excess glucose in your bloodstream through urine.
Diabetes patients are frequently thirsty, and they need to drink a lot of fluids.
The men may also lose weight because their bodies make use of muscle for energy rather than fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar level remains high for prolonged periods of time.
Diabetes diet
The development of a healthy diabetes diet is an important part of managing your diabetes. It can help you control blood sugar levels, manage weight and reduce 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 and legumes are good choices. It should be free of saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You might also need to limit the amount of sweetened drinks with sugar you consume. These drinks often have plenty of sugar in them that can cause high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor might recommend diabetes medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels in the normal range. These medications are usually combined with changes to your lifestyle, such as exercise and diet to help manage the condition.
If your blood sugar levels are not being managed well with one medication, you might require a second medication. Your doctor can help you choose the best medicine to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer medications, like sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptors, lower blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while reducing the risk of complications. They also aid in weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.