Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In Type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use sugar. Sugar is the basic fuel for the cells in the body, and insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. When glucose builds up in the blood instead of going into cells, it can cause two problems:
Right away, your cells may be starved for energy.
Over time, high blood sugar levels may hurt your eyes, kidneys, nerves or heart.
Finding out you have diabetes is scary. But don't panic! Diabetes is serious, but people with diabetes can live long, healthy, happy lives. You can too by taking good care of yourself.
Is It Curable?
In people with Type 2 diabetes, glucose (sugar) builds up in the blood. But with treatment, your blood sugar levels may go down to normal again. But this does not mean you are cured. Instead, a blood sugar level in your target range shows that your treatment plan is working and that you are taking care of your diabetes.
Taking Care Of Your Diabetes
The goal of treatment is to lower your blood sugar and improve your body's use of insulin with:
Meal planning
Exercise
Weight loss
Meal planning and getting regular exercise can help your body maintain healthy blood sugar levels. If you're overweight, losing weight can be another big part of your diabetes treatment. It will help your body use insulin better. The best way to lose weight is to exercise and follow a meal plan. With a weight loss meal plan, you will eat fewer calories. Decide with your health care provider how much to lose. Sometimes, just 10 or 20 pounds is enough to bring diabetes under control. Read more about meal planning and exercise in Healthy Living.
Checking Your Blood Sugar
In addition to eating healthy, losing weight and keeping fit, check your blood sugar levels at home to keep track of how you're doing. To check your blood sugar, you need a drop of blood. Place the drop on a special test strip. A device called a glucose meter measures sugar in the drop of blood.
Your health care provider will tell you how often to check your blood sugar. Write down each result, along with the time and date. You will soon learn how well your treatment plan is working, and you will learn how exercise and food affects you.
A Back-Up Plan
Sometimes, using a meal plan, losing weight and being active are not enough. In addition, your doctor may have you take diabetes pills, insulin shots or both.
Your doctor will probably try you on diabetes pills first. But sometimes pills don't work. Or they work at first and then stop. When this happens, your doctor may have you take both pills and insulin, or maybe just insulin alone. Your doctor will tell you what kind of insulin to take, how much and when. Read more about these medications in Medical Information.
What Can Go Wrong
Diabetes can cause three types of problems:
High blood sugar
Low blood sugar
Complications
The best defense against complications is taking care of your diabetes. Keeping your blood sugar levels near the normal range will make you feel better now. And it will help you stay healthy in the future. Read more about these possible complications in the sections on the left.
