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Windermere Medical Group

Type 2 Diabetes Facts: What You Need to Know About This Common Condition

Type 2 Diabetes Facts

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease for millions of people worldwide. It is developed when the body cannot use insulin effectively or produces less than enough to regulate blood sugar levels. The high blood sugar level causes many other diseases. Maintaining proper management and healthy living requires knowing the most essential facts about type 2 diabetes.

This blog contains vital facts about type 2 diabetes. It explains its causes, symptoms, management, and prevention. These facts will help you make the right decisions for your health.

What is Type 2 Diabetes?

Insulin resistance often preludes a Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis. The body does not respond to insulin, or the insulin released by the body at times is insufficient to reverse the blood sugar levels. In contrast, this is exactly opposite to Type 1 diabetes wherein the body produces no insulin at all.

Type 2 is linked to a higher number of patients than type 1, this form is a type that affects many persons all over the world. In the United States about 34 million persons are diabetic with type 2 diabetics accounting for 90 – 95% of the diabetic patients. This is often changing relatively frequently, but it happens slowly; thus, it could be the case that this is something of a problem that develops over years and does not get resolved.

Key Causes and Risk Factors

Type 2 diabetes has many causes and risk factors. Here are some:
Genetic Factors

If anyone in your family suffers from type 2 diabetes, then you are prone to the disease. You become more likely to suffer from genetic conditions that will finally provide you insulin resistance.

Lifestyle Factors

Poor diet and eating habits, insufficient exercising, and obesity have caused a predisposition to develop type 2 diabetes. Consuming too much sugar-based product and not doing regular exercise may also lead to weight gain that causes poor insulin metabolism.

Age and Ethnicity

Type 2 diabetes is often developed with advancing age, and the individual is more than 45 years. It has been found that certain ethnicities are at more risk, such as African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, etc.

Other Risk Factors

The following medical conditions increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes: polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Any of these medical conditions makes it harder for your body to regulate your blood sugar.

Common Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is one of the diabetes types that has many symptoms but not all at the onset of the disease. Some of the signs to watch out for are as follows:
Frequent urination and thirst

A person suffering from hyperglycemia may urinate more than usual, which can lead to dehydration if the body loses fluids in the process.

Sudden, unexplained loss or gain of appetite:

You probably lose weight even when you eat normally during this period. Yyou may put on weight, usually around your midsection.

Weakness and dimmed eyesight

It is often combined with one of the symptoms being a general feeling of weakness and the other a blurred vision.

Low recovery power and recurring infections

High blood sugar also weakens the body's recovery ability.

Crawling in the toes and fingers

This is a condition that may potentially be caused by nerve damage which has to do with uncontrolled diabetes.

Complications of Untreated Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes can be very serious if proper treatment is not provided at the right time. Here are a few of its effects:
Cardiovascular Disease

Diabetes may increase the chances of heart attacks, strokes, and hypertension.

Kidney disease (Diabetic Nephropathy)

High sugar in blood may prove to be destructive for the kidney and result in the failure of that organ.

Eye problems (Diabetic Retinopathy)

It may cause blockage in and alter the blood supply to the eyes and thus lead to complete blindness.

Nerve Damage

It is a condition causing nerve damage; mostly in the lower limb, thus pain, numbness, or absent feeling in an area.

Foot Complications

The condition results in limited blood flow and nerve damage resulting in infections and in extreme cases, amputation.

Prevention Tips for Type 2 Diabetes

Following are some guidelines that can decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes:

01. Healthy Weight

Type 2 diabetes can be prevented by maintaining a proper body weight. A patient should, therefore, try to achieve a BMI of less than 25.

02. Eat Well Balanced Diets

Whole foods to include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Processed food, sugar beverages, and high fat will be limited.

03. Physical Activity

Exercise boosts the usage of insulin in the body. Ensure one engages at least in 150 minutes of moderate physical activity for a week. Some examples of moderate activities include walking and swimming.

04. Regular check-ups

Regular check-ups with a doctor, whether one is at risk of diabetes or not, should be done to monitor the blood sugar levels. Moreover, managing prediabetes can prevent the development of full-blown diabetes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

While diabetes type 2 may be controlled – and in some cases even brought about partial correction – it is never completely “reversed”.
There is an absence of insulin production in type 1 diabetes. On the other hand, type 2 diabetes results from the body not responding or producing enough to offset the insulin.
Yes, type 2 diabetes indeed has some genetic components as well.
It would be wise to curtail the intake of sweetened beverages and food items containing high levels of additional fats.
Yes, although the majority of its cases were among adults, type 2 diabetes is more common among children today, specifically the obese children.

Conclusion

The management and prevention of Type 2 diabetes depend on the facts surrounding it. You can lead a healthy, active life with healthy lifestyle choices and proper treatment. If you or someone you know is living with type 2 diabetes, seek guidance from medical professionals.

Find quality care for type 2 diabetes at Windermere Medical Group. Experienced physicians and other healthcare professionals can better guide you in managing this disease. Call us now to seek assistance in getting it controlled.