Diabetes ‘n Me Blog

In type 2 diabetes, the body is still producing insulin but it is not being utilized properly. This is known as insulin resistance. When a person is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, there are more treatment options available to them as opposed to people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

Depending on the blood sugar levels in a patient, their weight and other health factors, the doctor will decide whether the diabetes can be controlled by one of the following methods:

• Diet and exercise – a healthy balanced diet with regular exercise can be used for people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar levels are only slightly elevated
• Oral medication – is for patients whose blood sugars are higher than they should be but not to the point that necessitates an injection of insulin
• Insulin injections – a daily injection (or more) of insulin is needed when higherblood sugars are present

A type 2 diabetic may cycle through the different treatment methods throughout their lifetime. It is based on how well they are managing their diabetes and how their body is reacting to the treatment plan. Some people will never have to go past the diet and exercise portion and can gain control by maintaining a healthy body weight and eating the right foods on a diabetic diet.

Other people may start at diet and exercise but as the disease progresses may have to move from oral medication to injections over time. These changes will be determined by your doctor based on physical check-ups and the results of your daily blood sugar monitoring. If you would like to cut back on your medication or the type of treatment you are on, speak to your doctor about your goal and a plan can be put in place to better manage your diabetes.

There is no known reason for what causes diabetes. There are certainly risk factors that make the likelihood of you being diagnosed with the disease higher. One of the only risk factors that you have control over is your weight. If you are obese, the single best thing you can do for your health and the prevention of diabetes is to lose weight. Even in small increments, when you shed pounds you are increasing your health benefits.

These may be easier said than done. There are new studies that are now showing that there is a genetic factor or mutation for people who are obese and have diabetes. This genetic malfunction affects how the bodies use energy and insulin – two key elements in the functioning of your body and the cause of diabetes and obesity.

The studies also state that this is not a cause and effect case. If you carry this defective gene you are not guaranteed to be obese or have diabetes. But the link is there and it can be prevented. You may have to work harder at it than others to maintain a healthy body weight and put off diabetes but it can be done. Discuss with your doctor options and ways to prevent or put-off the onset of diabetes.

The gene that researchers have discovered as a precursor to diabetes has been found in young children. It is scary to know that children in their preschool years are being diagnosed with obesity and type 2 diabetes due to genetics. But parents can reduce or prevent these things from happening by giving their children healthy lifestyle choices. Now that a DNA link has been found, the research can focus on finding a way to fix or prevent this from happening at some point in the future.