Type 2 Diabetes
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Type 1 diabetes is where the pancreas in the body produces little or no insulin. Insulin is needed to help sugar enter the cells of your body. The sugar comes from the food you eat and it is used in all cells and organs to generate the energy that keeps your body going.
People with type 2 diabetes can still produce insulin, but the cells cannot respond to the insulin properly. In other words, they are “insulin-resistant”. In the beginning, the pancreas compensates for this by making more insulin. But after some time, it gets exhausted and cannot produce enough insulin to keep the blood sugar in the healthy range.
Type 2 Diabetes Causes and Risk Factors
The exact cause of type 2 diabetes is not fully known. Research has shown that the development of type 2 diabetes is linked to a number of risk factors.
These risk factors comprise:
- History of hyperglycaemia, pre-diabetes, and/or gestational diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Genetics and ethnicity
- Family history
- Overweight and obesity
- Lack of exercise
- Age
How Can Type 2 Diabetes be Treated?
Diabetes responds well to a number of lifestyle changes, so there are a lot of ways to manage diabetes. Healthy habits and medication work together to bring your blood sugar levels under control.
- Food: Set up a personalised eating plan, ideally with the help of an experienced dietitian.
- Exercise: Be active in your everyday life.
- Medication: Take the medications your doctor says are necessary.
For People with Type 2 Diabetes requiring insulin therapy
To manage diabetes successfully, the blood sugar levels should be kept within the normal range by timely injections of the right dose of insulin. However, if you change your eating habits, or physical activities, your blood sugar levels may become too low or too high. If sugar levels rise too high (hyperglycaemia) and stay high, there is a risk of permanent damage to organs and other complications. If sugar levels fall too low (hypoglycaemia), you may lose important functions, such as the ability to think and inability to complete routine tasks.
Ask your Healthcare Professional about your individual blood sugar target range and get advice on how to respond to hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic situations.