Diabetes Control

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a way of life and not just a disease. There are believed to be twenty million in the US alone who suffer from the condition. There is also a prediction that a further sixteen million are prediabetics and will develop type 2 diabetes during the next decade. Type 2 diabetes is more often diagnosed than type 1 and afflicts both men and women forty five and over who are obese and whose family have a history of the disease. The effects however can be reduced dramatically with diet and exercise. For those who have type 2 diabetes, it must be the focal point for their everyday living.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body fails to respond efficiently to insulin that is produced by the pancreas. This is in opposition to type 1 diabetes where no insulin at all is produced by the pancreas. Initially, the pancreas meets the demand by it's insulin production. However, there comes a time when it fails to secrete sufficient the required amount of insulin in response to food.

Food breaks down into glucose. Glucose is a simple sugar that acts as the primary source of energy for cells. However, without insulin, glucose can't be used by your cells. Insulin is a hormone which is produced by the pancreas aids the cells in taking in glucose and converting it to energy. This controls glucose levels. When an insufficient amount of insulin is not produced by the pancreas or it is not able to be used by the body, the glucose fails to be converted by the cells as and when required. An excess of glucose develops in the blood stream, which acts as a perfect entry point for diabetes to afflict the inevitable sufferer.

How insulin works in the body is affected by obesity. This is because of the fat tissue which is able to create a resistance to insulin. Most people who suffer from type 2 diabetes are resistant to insulin. When your body is resisting insulin, it fails to be utilised efficiently by fat, muscle, and liver cells. As a consequence, the pancreas attempts to meet the demand by producing more, There comes a time however when it can no longer meet this demand and excess glucose develops in the bloodstream.

In most instances, diet and exercise is able to keep type 2 diabetes under control. There are myths about diabetes and one of the most popular is that there is a special diet for the disease. In fact, the diet prescribed to diabetics is not that different than that of a diet for most people. There are certain factors highlighted such as the control of glucose levels and weight. Another is mitigating risks for heart disease. The risk of heart disease is greater in diabetics, so by restricting the amount of fat, the risk will be greatly reduced. In managing type 2 diabetes, the afflicted must maintain a healthy diet, eat moderate portions and engage in more physical activity. Type 2 diabetes is a way of life, not just a disease. And that must be accepted by the patient in order to lead a healthy and happy life.