Type 2 Diabetes is the most common type of diabetes as approx. 90 to 95% of people around the world are suffering from this type of diabetes which is a chronic health concern. People with this diabetes have insulin resistant problem means their body doesn’t use insulin appropriately. However, knowledge of all the facts about type 2 diabetes increase the chances of its proper management and prevention.
Insulin is a hormone that helps to move the sugar level from the blood to the cells in order to utilize it for producing energy. However, in the cases of type 2 diabetes, the cells are incapable to respond to the insulin resulting in glucose or sugar level started to build up in the bloodstream.
This is a chronic health condition which if remains untreated for a long time can cause a high level of blood sugar which further reflects in the form of several critical symptoms and health issues.
Also in the later stages of type 2 diabetes, the body stops producing insulin in enough or necessary amount. This is a life-long disease which needs persistent care, oral medications and unhealthy food prevention for living a normal and healthful life.
Important Facts about Diabetes
Table of Contents
It is a Life-Long Disease
Diabetes is a life-long chronic disease which needs lifetime care and management. Otherwise in the lack of regular care and medical checkup to get the exact level of blood glucose from time to time can cause to develop many critical health conditions which become incurable.
Rapidly Increasing Around the World
The numbers of type 2 diabetes patients are increasing rapidly year by year throughout the world. With 8.5 % of adult patients worldwide it is now among the top rank chronicle diseases as per the report of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Apart from older adults even the young adults and children who are obese are including in this list as rapid fire.
Chronic Disease
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic medical condition as if it remains untreated for the longer time it reduces the body’s natural healing ability to recover from wounds and generates many other critical health conditions.
Diabetes occurs when your body fails to manage its blood sugar level. As a result of it either it doesn’t make enough insulin or stops producing it fully which is a vital hormone that manages blood sugar level, causing glucose builds up in the bloodstream. This condition is called insulin resistance.
This medical condition lasts for a long time and needs lifetime care to keep the blood sugar level under controlled.
Most Common Type of Diabetes
Out of other types of diabetes, Type 2 diabetes is the most common one. This is the reason more than 80% of patients of diabetes suffers from this type of diabetes solely. As per the report of WHO the number of diabetes patient has increased from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014 out of which the type 2 diabetes patients have the highest count.
Common in Young Adults
A few decades back the diabetes health concern was only limited to adults people and in the rarest cases, few young adults were found a victim of it. However, this theory is totally changed now because of the sudden rise in the number of young adult patients of diabetes or Type 2 diabetes.
This happens because this health concern is primarily associated with excess body weight or high BMI value. So young adults who fall in this category easily develop this chronic health concern.
Doesn’t Develop Any Symptom for the Long Period
This medical health condition often doesn’t develop its symptoms for a very long time or even if it shows some of its symptoms is often misunderstood as a general health issue, not as a trigger to diabetes.
Some common signs or symptoms of diabetes such as fatigue, excess thirst, and hunger, etc. develop in a very long period of time so people remain unaware of the existence of this disease.
It Requires Diabetes Risk Test to Avoid Complications
People who are obese or overweight and falls below the age group of 45 even they should also go for diabetes risk test as per the guideline of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, as because being obese is enough to develop this health issue risk.
Apart from this some special conditions or factors increases the risk of type 2 diabetes so people falling under these factors must not avoid this test for the sake of their good health.
These conditions include sedentary lifestyle, family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, history of cardiovascular disease, PCOS and people with American-Indian, African American, Pacific Islander, Hispanic, Asian descent.
Diabetics should be Aware of their Current Sugar Level
For avoiding a risk of any dangerous consequences a diabetic patient should always stay updated about his or her current blood sugar level. This will acknowledge them whether they are on correct medication or is there any need for the amendment in medications to control the increased or decreased sugar level.
You can get your blood glucose count through the diagnostic center test or can check it by own through the home diabetes checking machine. This is a very important step and responsibility for all type 2 diabetes patients in order to save from any critical issue which is quite possible in the cases of unawareness of current blood sugar level status.
It Can be Complicated if Remain Unchecked
One important fact that you must be aware of regarding the type 2 diabetes that if it remains undiagnosed for the longer period it can easily develop complications and major health risks.
Unchecked and untreated type 2 diabetes can cause life-threatening health risks. Also, people who are already diagnosed with this health issue if show negligence towards its care equally has the complications risks in the future.
However, with timely medications and ongoing care and healthy lifestyle, this risk factor can be reduced to a great extent. As early as its detection is possible it is safe and better.
Some Other Major Health Risks Increases
Type 2 diabetes increases the growth and development risk of some other major health issues such as kidney diseases, cardiovascular diseases, nerve-damaging, diabetic eye disease, gum disease, Alzheimer’s diseases and risk for stroke.
It Can be Controlled with Balanced LifeStyle
Type 2 diabetes can be delayed or prevented with some ongoing healthy lifestyle measures. As you know that there is some diabetes triggering factor such as weight gain, sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy food habit, etc. so it is very obvious that by controlling and avoiding these factors one can better control their sugar level.
Maintain all the healthy habits in your day to day life and don’t miss them at any cost in order to delay and prevent the type 2 diabetes health risk. Make sure that you are engaged for at least 30 minutes in a moderate physical activity in a day, it can be exercise or any other physical work.
Try to do intense workouts at least 3 days in a week, avoid the consumption of highly processed and sugary diets, avoid smoking and go for thorough routine checkup of your body as diabetes not only hamper the body’s blood sugar level it easily affects other body parts like kidney, heart, eyes, foot, blood vessel, etc.
Its Patient Has to Rely on Restricted Diets
Regular foods or diet of an individual is one of the most triggering factors which can cause the growth and development of type 2 diabetes. So it is very essential if you have diagnosed with these diseases that you follow a restricted diet list which will include only healthy diets as it can reduce the blood sugar level.
Also, those who have not yet developed this chronic health condition even they should also follow this healthy diet routine in order to delay and prevent the type 2 diabetes risk.
Foods and meals which are the healthy source of carbohydrates and fiber are essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reliving this health issue.
Some important healthy diets include fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, omega 3 fatty acids (like salmon, tuna, cod, halibut, sardines, mackerel), monosaturated and poly saturated food sources such as olive oil, peanut oil, pecans, almonds, canola oil, avocado, walnuts, and lean meats.
Along with taking these healthy foods you also need to take care of your food limits or foods that you require to avoid for managing and controlling your diabetes. The food items that must be avoided include beef, shellfish, processed meats, processed snacks, baked foods, stick margarine, high saturated fats, high trans fats, salty foods, fat full dairy products, sugary drinks, etc.
Causes of Type 2 Diabetes
Over Body Weight
Over body weight or Obese health concern increases your risk for type 2 diabetes as because excess fat in the body causes insulin resistance which further causes sugar buildup in the bloodstream.
The extra body weight is more dangerous especially if the middle section of the body is overburdened with this weight. This is the reason not only adults but kids and teenagers as well who have excess body weight can easily develop type 2 diabetes irrespective of their age.
Excess Glucose Secretion from Liver
The liver plays an important role when the blood sugar level of the body is reduced, by making and providing glucose to maintain the sugar level in the body. However, once you eat something the blood sugar level automatically goes up hence liver slows in its processing and stores the glucose for the future.
Still, in some cases, the liver doesn’t stop the glucose secretion and continues to crank out the sugar in the body causing type 2 diabetes health problems later on.
Miscommunication between Cells
Usually, cells in the body, work on the clear and smart signal transmission formula which helps to perform different tasks by receiving and sending messages, but sometimes they fail to send correct signals. As a result of it cells started to make and use insulin or glucose in a wrong way causing a chain reaction which further causes Type 2 diabetes.
Genetic Predisposition
As per the doctors’ some people have a genetic predisposition or tendency to develop type 2 diabetes. Also, this genetic tendency can cause you to be obese which is another vital reason for developing diabetes and insulin resistance health concern.
Metabolic Syndromes
It is seen that people who have insulin resistance have other common metabolic syndromes problems such as high blood pressure, triglycerides, high blood glucose, and high cholesterol level.
Wrong Functioning of Cells
The cells which produce and send insulin sometimes starts to send an inappropriate amount of insulin at the wrong time as a result of which the blood sugar gets affected badly with an unusual increased level. This can further lead to cells damaging.
Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes is a chronic health condition but its prevention and treatment are in your hand as because by controlling some important areas of life you can well control and manage your blood glucose level.
As soon as you will be diagnosed with type to diabetes the first measure that doctors recommend is to frequent checking of your blood glucose level so that you will stay aware whether it is in a specific range or not.
An individual’s proper blood glucose level depends on some specific factors like age, weight, and lifestyle. Whenever you will feel the symptoms of either low or high blood sugar level you should immediately check your glucose level and follow the necessary steps as guided by your doctor for instant control of your condition.
Regarding the symptoms of low and high blood sugar, you can consult with your doctor. Other important precautions are the only relief to manage and handle this health issue. Always include only fiber-rich diets and healthy carbohydrates in your regular meal.
In this regard, you can follow the food chart as suggested by its specialist doctor. As diabetes contains the greater risk for the growth of other health concerns like heart diseases, kidney diseases, etc. so make sure that you include all the diets in your meal which are healthy for your heart, kidney, cholesterol and blood pressure level.
Exercise every day at least for 30 minutes as it will keep your weight under control and improve your blood sugar level as well as heart health. Light aerobic exercises are best for this purpose.
In the cases of type 2 diseases, not all patients are prescribed for insulin or medications. However, if you are prescribed for the insulin then make sure that you are taking recommended doses on a timely basis in a very strict manner to avoid the complications.
With regard to medication it depends on the particular patient’s case history and other health concerns of that particular person, a doctor will prescribe a specific medication so that it can control diabetes without affecting the other existing health concerns.
At last, we must say that it is very important for each and every individual whether they have developed this health issue yet or not to be very sure to stay aware of the facts about type 2 diabetes as this chronic health concern is very much manageable and avoidable with its awareness and by avoiding its risk factors.
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