Accounting for over ninety percent of all cases, type 2 diabetes is the type most frequently diagnosed. Insulin is a hormone that makes energy from sugar and other foods we eat. The first stage of diabetes is insulin resistance. When the body stops producing or properly using insulin, we develop diabetes. As the body's requirements for insulin increases, the pancreas stops making it. While genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise are believed to be key, the exact cause is unknown. Type 2 diabetes self management plans then become a necessary control measure.

Type 2 diabetes self management programs offer knowledge about the disease and educate the patient about how to ward off complications. Diet modification, exercise plans, glucose monitoring, and insulin self-injection are taught in these classes. The patient is taught how to monitor glucose, modify their diets, develop exercise regimens, how to self-inject insulin and much more to aid in the battle with diabetes.

Daily injections of insulin by syringe is for some the most difficult part of type 2 diabetes self management. A medical device called an insulin pump is a good alternative. This small battery operated pump, worn on the waist, has a reservoir that contains insulin which is automatically injected into the body by way of a catheter imbedded under the skin. The pump is easily detached for bathing or showering and is easily adjustable when insulin doses need to be changed.

The problem of obesity is a major hurdle that must be overcome for a type 2 diabetes self management program to be successful. About 60 percent of the of the U.S. adult population is considered to be overweight or obese. If these overweight adults would lose weight they could reduce their risk of illness or death from diabetes as well as hypertension, heart disease, and other conditions that have been associated with being overweight.

To minimize complications from type 2 diabetes, blood sugar must be controlled. Blood glucose meters are an essential tool in checking blood sugar. Keeping track of your blood glucose levels is an integral part of successful diabetes self management. Blood glucose meters are one part of diabetes related technology that eases the stress of diabetes treatment. Urine testing is still important, but having an accurate and reliable blood sugar meter is necessary for staying ahead of the disease.

Type 2 diabetes self management includes eating a well-balanced diet combined with exercise, and a healthy weight. This can help balance your blood sugar level. Contrary to popular belief, having diabetes doesn't mean that you have to follow a complicated diet plan and give up eating your favorite foods. The key word is moderation. For most people, it means eating a variety of foods in moderate amounts and eating at about the same time every day and choosing a diet that emphasizes vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

Exercise can help control your weight and lower your blood sugar. It also decreases your risk of heart disease, a condition that is common in those who have diabetes. Exercise can also make you healthier in general and improve your outlook. Type 2 diabetes self management programs have exercise professionals who can assist in creating a plan that's suited to each patient's needs.

It may sound strange but developing diabetes has actually helped some people become healthier. By sticking to their self management plan they are no longer obese, enjoy the many health benefits of exercise and eat a healthy diet. Type 2 diabetes self management is largely about doing many of the things that we all should be doing anyway. So let's do it.