If you have type 2 diabetes, one way to lower the risk of complications is through eating healthily and losing weight. Tablets or insulin may also be necessary in order to regulate blood sugar.
An effective way to identify type 2 diabetes is through an oral glucose tolerance test, which measures your blood before and two hours after drinking a sugary drink in order to assess how your body processes it.
Diet
If you have type 2 diabetes, eating healthily is key to keeping blood sugar levels within target range and minimizing complications. Your diet should contain plenty of fibre, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein sources such as fish oil or nuts as well as healthy fats such as olive oil.
Carb counting tools or the Glycemic Index could also prove helpful when selecting what to consume. These can be found in meat, full-fat dairy products, cream and solid cooking fats (like lard, tallow and butter)
As part of your weight and blood sugar management plan, eating regular meals and snacks throughout the day should help. Between-meal snacks should be low in fat and sugar while high in fibre.
You may consume small amounts of sugar — for instance in porridge or jam on low GI bread — but try to restrict other high energy foods like lollies, chocolates cakes biscuits and standard soft drinks to just occasional treats.
Exercise
Exercise may be challenging for those living with diabetes, but regular physical activity – like walking, gardening and cleaning – is one of the best ways to control blood sugar levels and avoid complications caused by their condition.
According to one recent study, physical activities like these could lower heart disease risks as well as other potential health complications related to diabetes.
Researchers discovered that physical inactivity is just as much of a risk factor for premature mortality as smoking; even simple daily activities can help. Avoid sitting for prolonged periods and consult your physician prior to planning exercise plans that include diabetes medications like insulin.
Occhipinti stresses the importance of regular aerobic exercise – four to seven 30-minute workouts every week for 30 minutes – as part of maintaining good diabetes control regardless of weight loss efforts.
Exercise improves insulin sensitivity and keeps you healthier even without weight loss; walking is an easy activity that works most major muscles while increasing heart rate, while other options include running, swimming, dancing, cycling or stretching exercises such as yoga or tai chi which improve flexibility.
Reduce risk of falls, improve balance and quality of life for older adults. older adults should start slow with any regimen introduced and adjust as weather dictates to ensure safe workouts.
Medicines
Consistently taking your medicines (including vitamins and herbal remedies) as prescribed will help keep your blood sugar in an appropriate range and lower the risk of other health,
Your healthcare team will recommend which medications would best help manage your type 2 diabetes.
Sulfonylureas such as glipizide or glucotrol are cost-effective treatments for diabetes that have long been utilized. They increase insulin levels in your body by roughly 20% and should be taken first thing each morning, though they may cause fluid retention and interfere with liver function; people with kidney disease may not be advised to take them.
Thiazolidinediones can also help improve glycemic control through reverse insulin resistance, including pioglitazone (Actos) and rosiglitazone (Avanza). Because these medications can potentially cause heart failure.
You should always be closely monitored by a healthcare provider while on them; additionally they may influence cholesterol levels and increase risk for bladder cancer.
SGLT2 inhibitors, or oral medications used to lower blood sugar by blocking sugar absorption by kidneys and excreting it through urine excretion, are the latest generation of medications for treating type 2 diabetes.
According to research published in Diabetes Therapy 2018, these SGLT2 inhibitors do not cause weight gain or hypoglycemia and thus fall under this class of treatments.
Monitoring your blood sugar
At the core of managing diabetes lies monitoring your blood sugar (glucose). Your doctor will instruct you as to when and how often to test, with some types of diabetes necessitating up to ten tests a day; such tests might include before meals and snacks, before and after exercise sessions, before bedtime and when you’re sick.
Blood glucose levels can be affected by many different factors, from diet and emotional stress to sleep patterns and medications taken short-term for illness, gym classes or walks with your dog. They may rise too high if insulin or other medications aren’t taken in sufficient quantities while lows can also occur.
Hypoglycemia occurs when one’s blood sugar drops too low, leading to confusion, weakness and an irregular heartbeat. To correct it quickly it’s essential that they monitor their own blood sugar to identify low levels so they can take steps necessary to rectify them quickly.
It is essential that they check regularly so they can identify low blood sugar levels early enough so they can take appropriate action immediately.
Maintaining blood sugar levels within the targets that your doctor sets can help protect you against long-term problems with your eyes, kidneys, nerves and blood vessels.
You can monitor your levels at home with a home blood sugar meter and finger stick tests or visit a healthcare provider for an A1c test and continuous glucose monitor (CGM). Before using test equipment it’s always a good idea to wash your hands first.
Glucose
(a form of sugar) provides energy to cells throughout our bodies. Insulin acts as a hormone to control blood sugar levels; in people with type 2 diabetes however, their bodies become resistant to using it effectively and blood sugar levels increase dramatically, potentially leading to complications like heart disease, kidney disease and nerve problems.
No one knows exactly why certain people develop type 2 diabetes, though both genes and environment could play a part. People who are overweight are at an increased risk due to fat slowing the rate of glucose usage in the body.
Insulin resistance also tends to increase with age and could contribute to other health conditions like high blood pressure and cholesterol, both known to increase cardiovascular disease risks. People living with diabetes may also be susceptible to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), making it harder for their bodies to respond appropriately to insulin injections.
Type 2 diabetes increases your risk for serious health conditions such as heart disease, blindness, kidney disease and foot and leg problems. You can lessen this risk by following a healthy diet, staying physically active, managing a healthy weight and not smoking.
Monitor your blood sugar with a meter or continuous glucose monitoring device, and follow the advice of your healthcare provider regarding when and how often to eat and exercise.
Your healthcare provider may prescribe oral medications or insulin therapy therapy in order to reach your targeted blood sugar level.
These medicines include metformin (Fortamet, Glucophage and Glumetza) as well as sulfonylureas like glimepiride (Amaryl), glipizide (Glucotrol) and glyburide (DiaBeta, Micronase).
People living with type 2 diabetes also may take medications that work differently from insulin like sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists.