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About Diabetes - What is Type 2 Diabetes?
Our modern lifestyles can be extremely busy and stressful. Long hours can lead us to reach for solutions that make our lives easier or more convenient, but that aren't necessarily the healthiest choices. How many people have never grabbed a fast food meal rather than prepare a nutritious and balanced meal at home? Or never skipped a workout because they were too tired?
Unfortunately, a poor diet that's high in fat, calories, and refined or processed carbohydrates can easily lead to weight gain. Throw in a sedentary lifestyle and the weight will pack on even quicker. Being overweight is a major risk factor for the development of Type 2 Diabetes. Insulin resistance is the first warning that you may be on the road to developing diabetes. Once your body is less sensitive to the effects of insulin, it has to keep trying to produce more and more of it to get the same response.
Insulin is a hormone that acts as a "key" to move blood glucose into your body's cells, which burns it for fuel. Once your body becomes resistant to insulin, not enough glucose gets into the cells. This has the dual effect of "starving" your cells for energy, and increasing the amount of glucose in your bloodstream.
Our bodies aren't meant to deal with continued high levels of blood glucose. Early warning signs of diabetes can alert you that you should be tested. Your doctor can discuss your risk factors, any symptoms you've been showing, and your family and personal medical history.
There are several types of diabetes tests, but the one most often used is a simple fasting blood glucose test. You fast for a minimum of 8 hours (some doctors recommend 12 hours), a blood sample is drawn, and the amount of blood glucose measured. In people without diabetes, a normal blood glucose range is from 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL)to 100 mg/dL. You're considered pre-diabetic if your blood glucose is between 101 mg/dL and 125 mg/dL, and diabetic if it's 126 mg/dL or higher. (see: Conversion Chart for Blood Sugar Levels to convert to mmol/L)
Blood glucose tests will be repeated on a separate occasion if a diagnosis of pre-diabetes or diabetes results. This is necessary to confirm the diagnosis. And if your tests show that you are pre-diabetic, then your doctor might suggest additional tests too.
Sometimes people who suspect that they might have type 2 diabetes will avoid getting tested out of fear that their suspicions might be right. In fact, many people have undiagnosed diabetes. However, if you are at risk you should be tested: untreated diabetes means continued high blood glucose levels, and that can lead to serious diabetes-related complications. Foot problems, eye problems (including blindness), dry/itchy skin, dental disease, nerve damage, and kidney and heart disease are just some of the health problems that can result from untreated or poorly controlled diabetes.
A diabetes treatment plan for type 2 diabetics consists of dietary changes, weight loss, and regular exercise. For some people who are unable to keep blood glucose levels under control with these measures, oral medication or insulin may also be required. Each of us is different - what works for one person may not work for another, so working together with your doctor and getting tested when appropriate is the best way to make sure your blood sugar is where it needs to be. Generally, blood tests are repeated every 3 months.
Learning about diabetes can help individuals assess their own risk and determine whether they need to talk to their doctor. In some cases, lifestyle intervention can prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes.