Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious condition which affects millions of people every year. It occurs when your body isn’t producing enough insulin, or it can’t use the insulin it does produce effectively.
Diet, exercise and medication can help to prevent or delay the onset of the disease. It is also essential to understand the symptoms so you can determine if there is a problem and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic illness (long-lasting) that alters how your body converts food into energy. It happens when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that aids your body absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. People suffering from type 2 diabetes don’t produce 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 issues with the eyes, feet, and kidneys. It could also harm your heart arteries and brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition and means that your body’s immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This process can take months or even years and eventually lead to a total lack of insulin.
People with type 1 diabetes 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 glucose within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes your body doesn’t utilize insulin in the way it should. Insulin is a hormonal substance that aids your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells where it can be utilized to generate energy.
Type 2 diabetes sufferers have to manage their condition through a healthy diet and regular exercise. They may also need to take medication to control their blood glucose levels.
Symptoms of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects people of all races as well as ethnic groups and ages as well as genders. Women are more susceptible than males.
Women with diabetes are more prone to suffer from complications, such as heart disease (the most common diabetes-related complication) and loss of vision.
One of the first signs of women with diabetes is increased thirst and the frequency of urination, which is known as polydipsia. This is because diabetes can cause excess sugar to build up in your bloodstream and your kidneys are not able to remove it.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
In diabetes it is when cells are unable make use of blood sugar (glucose) for energy. This is typically because the pancreas produces insufficient insulin.
This results in high blood sugar levels. The body tries to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose from your bloodstream through urine.
People with diabetes frequently experience thirst and require to drink large quantities of fluids, up to four liters per day.
Men may also experience weight loss as their bodies break down muscle to make energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar level remains high for long periods of time.
Diabetes diet
A healthy diet for diabetes is a crucial aspect of managing your condition. It can help you manage your blood sugar, reduce your weight and the risk of developing heart disease.
Your diet should consist of plenty of whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be free of saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars.
You might need to limit your consumption of drinks that are sweetened with sugar. These drinks often have lots of sugar that can cause high blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may prescribe diabetes-related medications to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the normal range. These medications are typically combined with lifestyle changes like exercising and diet to help control your diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels aren’t being well controlled on one medicine it is possible that a different medicine will be added. Your doctor will assist you to determine the most appropriate medicine for your specific needs and preferences.
Newer medicines, such as sodium-glucose-cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon like antagonists of the peptide-1 receptor, reduce blood sugar levels and are beneficial for the kidneys and cardiovascular system, while decreasing the risk of complications. They are also beneficial for weight loss and are available in tablet and injectable forms.