Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease in which blood sugar or glucose levels rise.
Usually, the hormone insulin helps move glucose from the blood to the cells, where it is used as energy. But in type 2 diabetes, your body’s cells cannot respond to insulin appropriately. As a result, your body may also not produce enough insulin in the later stages of the disease.
Although, Uncontrolled type 2 diabetes can lead to chronically high blood sugar, which can cause several symptoms and potentially lead to severe complications.
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Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms
In type 2 diabetes, your body cannot effectively use insulin to deliver glucose to cells. It makes your body dependent on alternative energy sources in tissues, muscles, and organs. It is a chain reaction that can cause various symptoms.
Type 2 diabetes can develop slowly. Symptoms may be mild and easy to ignore at first. Early symptoms may include:
constant hunger
lack of energy
fatigue
excessive thirst
frequent urination
blurry vision
pain, tingling, or numbness in the arms or legs
If your blood sugar has been high for a long time, complications may include:
eye problems (diabetic retinopathy)
limb numbness or neuropathy
kidney disease (nephropathy)
gum disease
heart attack or stroke
Causes of Type 2 Diabetes
Insulin is a natural hormone. Although, Your pancreas produces it and releases it when you eat. Insulin helps move glucose from the bloodstream to the body’s cells, which are used for energy.
And also, If you have type 2 diabetes, your body becomes insulin resistant. As a result, your body no longer uses the hormone effectively. This makes your pancreas work harder to produce more insulin.
Over time, this can damage pancreatic cells. If you don’t produce enough insulin or your body doesn’t use it effectively, glucose builds up in your blood. Because of this, the cells of your body lack energy. Doctors don’t know exactly what causes this series of events. This may be due to cell dysfunction in the pancreas or signaling and cell regulation.
Although lifestyle choices are usually the cause of type 2 diabetes, you may be more likely to be diagnosed with it if:
There is a genetic predisposition in your family to develop type 2 diabetes.
Although the defining trigger for type 2 diabetes is your body’s resistance to insulin, a combination of factors usually increases the risk of this resistance.
Type 2 Diabetes Treatment
Type 2 diabetes can be controlled and, in some cases, reversed. Most treatment plans include checking your blood sugar, and your doctor will tell you how often you need to do this. Since, The goal is to stay within a specific range.
And also, Additional lifestyle changes your doctor will likely recommend to help you manage type 2 diabetes include:
Eat foods high in fiber and healthy carbohydrates. Although, Eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help stabilize blood sugar levels.
Get about half an hour of physical activity daily to retain your heart healthy. Exercise can also help control blood sugar levels.
Your doctor will tell you how to recognize the first symptoms of too high or too low blood sugar and what to do in each situation.
In addition, working with a dietitian can help you figure out which foods can help control your blood sugar and which can throw it off balance.
Since, Not everyone with type 2 diabetes needs to use insulin. If so, it’s because your pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin, and you must take your insulin as directed. Other prescription drugs can help as well.
Medications for Type 2 Diabetes
In various cases, lifestyle changes are enough to control type 2 diabetes. Otherwise, several medications can help. Some of these drugs include:
Metformin. It can lower blood sugar levels and improve the body’s response to insulin. This is the first-line treatment for most people with type 2 diabetes.
Sulfonylureas. These are oral medications that help the body produce more insulin.
Meglitinides. These fast-acting, short-acting drugs stimulate the pancreas to release more insulin.
Thiazolidinediones. They make your body more sensitive to insulin.
Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. These are milder medications that help lower blood sugar levels.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists. They slow down digestion and increase blood sugar levels.
Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. They help the kidneys remove sugar from the body through urine.
Each type of medication mentioned above can cause side effects. In addition, it may take some time for you and your doctor to find the best medicine or combination of drugs to treat your diabetes.
Although, If your blood pressure or cholesterol levels are not ideal, you may also need medication to meet these needs.
You may need insulin therapy if your body cannot produce enough insulin. For example, you may only need one long-acting injection, which you can take at night, or you may need to take insulin several times a day.
Type 2 Diabetes Diet
Diet is necessary to help maintain optimal heart health and blood sugar levels within safe limits.
The optional diet for people with type 2 diabetes is the like diet that almost everyone should follow. It comes down to a few key steps:
Choose a variety of foods rich in nutrients and low in empty calories.
Pay attention to portion sizes, stop eating when you are full.
Read food labels carefully to understand how much sugar or carbs you can get in one serving.
Since, If you’ve been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, or if you’re trying to avoid diabetes and control your weight, there are certain foods and drinks you should limit as much as possible. This includes:
foods high in saturated (such as red meat and whole dairy products)
processed meats
margarine and shortening
gourmet pastries (such as white bread and cakes)
high-sugar, highly processed snacks (packaged biscuits and some cereals)
sugary drinks (such as regular sodas and some fruit juices)
While no food you enjoy from time to time should take you astray from your healthy lifestyle, it’s a good idea to discuss dietary restrictions based on blood sugar levels with your doctor. Some people may need to control their blood sugar levels more closely after eating these foods.
A diagnosis of type 2 diabetes does not mean that carbohydrates are unnecessary. Healthy carbohydrates can give you energy and fibre. Some options include:
whole fruit
non-starchy vegetables (such as broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower)
legumes such as beans
whole grains such as oats or quinoa
sweet potato
Fat also doesn’t matter. Instead, it’s about selecting the right types of fat. Foods containing heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids include:
Tuna
sardines
Salmon
mackerel
halibut
Cod
flax-seed
oils such as olive oil
nuts such as almonds, pecans, and walnuts
Talk to your doctor about your personal nutritional goals. They may recommend that you see a nutritionist who is familiar with optimal diets for diabetes. Together you can create a diet that tastes great and fits your lifestyle needs.
Type 2 Diabetes Risk Factors
While some risk factors for type 2 diabetes are out of your control (such as your age and background, as mentioned above), confident lifestyle choices can also increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Overweight life. When you’re overweight, you’re more likely to have more fatty tissue, making your cells more resistant to insulin.
Eat plenty of highly processed foods. Highly processed foods can be high in hidden sugars and refined carbohydrates. If your life calls for faster meals, talk to your doctor or dietitian about nutrient replacement.
And also, You may also be at increased risk if you have had gestational diabetes or prediabetes, two conditions caused by high glucose levels.
Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis
Whether you have prediabetes or not, you should contact your doctor immediately if you think you have symptoms of diabetes. Although, Your doctor can get a lot of information from blood tests. Diagnostic tests may include the following:
Haemoglobin A1C analysis. This test measures your average blood sugar over 2 or 3 months. And also, You do not need to fast for this test; your doctor can diagnose you based on the results. It is also called the glycosylated haemoglobin test.
You are fasting blood glucose test. This test measures the amount of glucose in plasma. And also, You may need to fast for 8 hours before taking it.
Oral glucose tolerance test. Although, During this test, your blood is drawn three times: before, 1 hour, and 2 hours after you take your glucose dose. Although, The test results show how well your body absorbs glucose before and after drinking.
If you have diabetes, your doctor will provide you with information on how to manage the condition, including:
how to monitor your blood sugar
dietary advice
recommendations for physical activity
Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Tips
While you can’t always prevent type 2 diabetes, some lifestyle changes can help delay or even prevent the onset of the disease. This is true even if you have elevated risk factors such as prediabetes.
Diet.
The best diet to prevent type 2 diabetes is a diet high in fruits, vegetables, healthy carbohydrates, healthy fats, and very little refined sugar.
An Exercise.
According to the 2018, The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, the optimal amount of exercise per week for adults is 150 minutes, which translates to 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. The physical activity guide also recommends a combination of muscle strengthening and aerobic activity.
Weight management. Maintaining a moderate weight is an excellent way to avoid chronic complications, including type 2 diabetes.
Complications Associated with Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes can be effectively controlled. If not properly treated, it can affect almost all of your organs and lead to serious complications, including:
Skin Problems or Fungal Infections
nerve damage or neuropathy, which can lead to loss of sensation or numbness and tingling in the limbs, as well as digestive problems such as vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation
poor circulation in your feet, which makes it difficult for your feet to heal when cut or infected, and can also lead to gangrene and loss of a foot or leg
Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia can occur when blood sugar levels are low. Symptoms may include tremors, dizziness, and difficulty speaking. You can usually fix this by eating “quick” foods or drinks such as fruit juice, hard candy, or candies.
Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia can occur when blood sugar levels are high. It is usually characterized by frequent urination and increased thirst. Careful blood sugar control and an active lifestyle can help prevent high blood sugar.
Complications during and after Pregnancy
If you have diabetes during pregnancy, you must carefully monitor your condition. Poorly controlled diabetes can:
complicate pregnancy, childbirth, and childbirth
harm your baby’s developing organs
make your child gain weight
It can also increase your child’s lifetime risk of developing diabetes.
Control Type 2 Diabetes
Managing type 2 diabetes requires teamwork. You will need to work closely with your doctor, but the outcome depends on your choices.
Your doctor may want periodic blood tests to check your blood sugar levels. This will help determine how well you are coping with the condition. In addition, if you take medications, these tests will help you assess how well they work.
Your doctor may also recommend a home monitoring system to check your blood sugar between visits. They will tell you how often you should use it and your target range.
Because diabetes can increase your risk of heart disease, your doctor may want to monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In addition, if you have symptoms of heart disease, you may need additional tests. These tests may include an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) or a cardiac stress test.
It may also be helpful to let your family know. Educating them about the warning signs of too high or too low blood sugar will allow them to help in an emergency.
Type 2 Diabetes in Children
Type 2 diabetes in children is becoming an increasingly severe problem. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), approximately 193,000 Americans under the age of 20 have type 1 or 2 diabetes.
A 2016 study found that the incidence of [type 2 diabetes] among young people had risen to about 5,000 new cases per year. Another 2017 study showed significant growth, especially among racial minorities and ethnic groups.
If your child has been diagnosed with diabetes, their doctor will need to determine if it is type 1 or [type 2 diabetes] before suggesting specific treatment.
In the same way, that lifestyle choice can help adults manage or even reverse their [type 2 diabetes] diagnosis, you can reduce your child’s risk by encouraging them to eat well and be physically healthy and active every day.
