Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Type 2 Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that is primarily characterized by insulin resistance, relative insulin deficiency, and hyperglycemia. In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use sugar. Sugar is the basic fuel for the cells in the body, and insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. It is rapidly increasing in the developed world, and there is some evidence that this pattern will be followed in much of the rest of the world in coming years. In the UK about 3 in 100 people aged over 40, and about 10 in 100 people aged over 65, have Type 2 diabetes. It is also more common in South Asian and African-Caribbean people.
Diabetes can also cause long-term complications in some people, including heart disease, stroke, vision impairment, and kidney damage. It is also associated with acromegaly, Cushing's syndrome and a number of other endocrinological disorders. Children and teens with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes are also more likely to develop hypertension (high blood pressure) or abnormal levels of blood fats (cholesterol and triglycerides). When these problems cluster together in a person, doctors call this metabolic syndrome. Diabetes mellitus type 2 is often associated with obesity and hypertension and elevated cholesterol (combined hyperlipidemia), and with the condition Metabolic syndrome. Additional factors found to increase risk of type 2 diabetes include aging, high-fat diets and a less active lifestyle.
Diabetes can also cause other problems in the blood vessels, nerves, and gums. These problems don't usually show up in kids or teens with type 2 diabetes who have had the disease for only a few years. The four common symptoms of Type 2 diabetes are being thirsty a lot of the time passing large amounts of urine ,tiredness and weight loss. Diabetes mellitus type 2 is a chronic, progressive disease that has no medically proven cure. Eat a healthy diet to help achieve a normal body weight while getting the nutrients needed to grow and develop. Regular exercise helps control the amount of glucose in the blood. It also helps burn excess calories and fat so you can manage your weight. Regular self-testing of your blood sugar tells you how well your combination of diet, exercise, and medication are working.
Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Tips
1. Regular exercise is important for everyone.
2. Monitor blood glucose levels by home testing before and after exercise.
3. Wear a diabetes identification bracelet and carry change for a phone call in case of emergency.
4. Drink extra fluids that do not contain sugar before, during and after exercise.
5. Meal planning includes choosing healthy foods, eating the right amount of food, and eating meals at the right time
6. Carry food that contains a fast-acting carbohydrate in case blood glucose levels get too low during or after exercise.
7. Carnitine has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and glucose storage in humans.
8. Taurine has also shown significant improvement in insulin sensitivity and hyperlipidemia in rats.
If this disease is not properly managed, diabetes can cause kidney disease, hypertension, heart disease, edema, neuropathy, and infections of the mouth, feet, skin, lungs and genitalia. The skin infections do not heal properly and can even lead to amputation of extremities.
Type 2 diabetes has become the most common form of disease affecting 90-95 percent of the people who have diabetes. For people who have type II diabetes, not enough insulin is manufactured by the pancreas. Another problem is that the cells can become insulin resistant. When this happens, glucose accumulates in the blood instead of entering the cells.
Type 2 diabetes usually develops later in life; however, the disease is now becoming more common in people in their thirties and even late twenties. The most common risk factors among those who develop this condition include diet, weight, race, age, lack of exercise and genetics. The most common ethnic groups to have type 2 diabetes are Latinos, American Indians, African-Americans, and American Asians.
The real danger of diabetes is the complications associated from inconsistent insulin levels and elevated blood glucose. One dangerous complication is diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), or another dangerous condition known as hyperosmolar syndrome. DKA happens when insulin levels are so low that the body starts metabolizing stored fat to use as fuel. When the fat breaks down, a byproduct is released that is known as ketones which cause the body to become too acidic.
Ketoacidosis is typically seen in those with type 1 diabetes, but can happen to those with type 2 as well. The symptoms can include nausea, sweet breath, having a hard time breathing and confusion which can lead to a coma.
Hyperosmolar syndrome is a result of elevated blood sugars accompanied with dehydration. This condition is more common in those with type 2 diabetes who also take steroid medications. Hyperosmolar syndrome can also be a result of a stress from another illness. Symptoms can include confusion, tiredness, and in the most severe cases, coma. Often, in older adults, type 2 diabetes is not discovered until the symptoms of hypersmolar syndrome are reported to a doctor.
If you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes, you probably have a lot of questions and may even have a hard time grasping the severity and the responsibilities that come with this condition. It must now become a priority to take care of your body. If you are overweight, it is time to drop those extra pounds. You will also need to cut back on sugars, eat more fiber, and limit fours and white rice and to start a regular exercise regime.
You will also want to make an appointment with an optometrist make sure that your eyes are in good shape. Other important things that you can do are monitor the health of your feet for sores and losing feeling in the toes.
Both Juliet Cohen & Mike Fletcher are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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