What is Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronicΒ metabolicΒ disease characterized by high blood sugar levels due to insulin resistance and inadequate insulin production.
Our body’s energy source, glucose, is regulated by insulin produced by the pancreas; in diabetes, insulin resistance leads to impaired glucose uptake by cells.
When cells don’t respond to insulin, the pancreas tries harder by making more, but eventually can’t keep up, causing high blood sugar andΒ diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is managed through lifestyle changes, including exercise, healthy eating, and regular check-ups, to maintain control over daily activities.
What are the symptoms of type 2 diabetes?
- Vision problems
- Weakness
- Frequent urinationΒ (polyuria)
- Increased thirst
- Increased hunger
- Gum disease
- Slow healing of wounds
- Prone to infections
- Tingling orΒ numbnessΒ in your hands or feet
- Unexplained weight loss
What are the types of diabetes?
Diabetes is divided into four types:
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes, also called juvenile or insulin-dependent diabetes, is aΒ chronicΒ condition characterized by high blood sugar due to the body’s inability to produce insulin, often emerging in childhood due to genetic and viral factors.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes, affecting 90-95% of diabetics, arises from insulin resistance, leading to difficulty in controllingΒ blood sugarΒ levels, primarily diagnosed in adults.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes, occurring duringΒ pregnancy, can impact both mother and baby’s health, disappearing post-birth yet elevating the risk of future type 2 diabetes.
Prediabetes
Prediabetes signals elevated blood sugar levels below the threshold for type 2 diabetes, yet without lifestyle adjustments, it may progress to full-blown diabetes.
When to see a doctor?
Consult a diabetologist if you notice any diabetes symptoms.
What are the causes of type 2 diabetes?
A number of factors can lead to type 2 diabetes, they are:
- Obesity
- Physical inactivity
- Family history or genetics
Type 2 diabetes starts with insulin resistance, where cells don’t respond to insulin, prompting the pancreas to produce more, but eventually fails, leading to high blood sugar.
What are the risk factors of type 2 diabetes?
The risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes are:
- Weight gain or obesity
- Family history
- Sedentary lifestyle
- HavingΒ prediabetes
- If you are 45 years or older
- Having close relatives with type 2 diabetes
- Had gestational diabetes during pregnancy
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Smoking
- Drinking alcohol
- Ethnicity – People belonging to Asian, African American, Latino, and Pacific Islander.
How is type 2 diabetes diagnosed?
Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed after conducting a few blood tests:
- Glycolated hemoglobin testing (A1c) :Β It is a blood test done to diagnose type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This test helps to find out about blood sugar levels over the past 3 months.
- Fasting plasma glucose test :Β It is the simplest and quickest method for determining blood glucose levels and diagnosing diabetes. An individual needs to fast and avoid eating or drinking (except water) for 8 to 12 hours before the test.
- Random plasma glucose test :Β In this test, the blood is drawn at a laboratory at any time. The test is unaffected by whether you have fasted or eaten recently.
- Oral glucose tolerance testing :Β This test, also called a glucose tolerance test, measures how your body responds to sugar (glucose). It is done to screen for type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes.
What is the treatment for type 2 diabetes?
The type 2 diabetes cure is not available. But it is possible to control diabetes by adhering to a healthy way of life and takingΒ diabetes medicationsΒ on time.
Diabetes management can be done by following the below-given methods:
- Daily glucose monitoring with a meter or CGM is essential. Your doctor may prescribe medications, insulin, or injections to manage diabetes effectively.
- Follow a healthy lifestyle such as eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly to keep yourself healthy. Diet for type 2 diabetes includes:
- Eat healthy :Focus on veggies, whole grains, legumes, and lean proteins.
- Choose fruits wisely :Oranges, berries, and apples are good options.
- Watch out for sugar, fat, and salt :Keep them to a minimum.
- Stick to regular meals :Have breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.
- Monitor regularly :Check blood sugar,
- blood pressure, and cholesterol as per your doctor’s advice.
What are the complications of type 2 diabetes?
The diabetes complications are:
- Heart problems
- Neuropathy in limbs
- Kidney disease
- Liver problems
- Eye damage
- Hearing impairment
- Dementia
- Sleep apnea
- Skin problems, including fungal and bacterial infections
What dos and don’ts for type 2 diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes means high blood sugar, leading to issues like frequent urination, fatigue, and slow wound healing. Managed with medications and insulin therapy.
| Doβs | Donβts |
| Eat meals on time | Smoke or consume alcohol |
| Eat a healthy diet | Eat more sugar and salt in diet |
| Take diabetes medicines properly | Ignore monitoring your blood sugar levels |
| Get regular blood test | Follow a sedentary lifestyle and gain weight |
| Prefer small meals than large meals | Eat a high-fat diet |
Follow tips to control type 2 diabetes for a healthy life and prevent complications.
