The Diabetes Manager

Posts Tagged ‘type 2 diabetes’

The starting point when looking at diabetes is to understand that it is a chronic disease which is distinguished by a distortion to the metabolism and increased blood sugar levels that result in reduced levels of insulin. The symptoms of diabetes can look very much like those of a host of other conditions and the disease can therefore go undetected for many years. Screening for this particular condition is extremely important as early diagnosis and treatment can greatly increase the quality of life for individuals who are suffering from this disease.

There are 2 major forms of diabetes which individuals who are unfamiliar with the condition normally find it hard to separate and these are type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes results from the destruction of pancreatic beta cells which itself is the result of an auto-immune attack. It cannot be prevented and accounts for roughly ten percent of all cases of diabetes in Europe and North America. This form of diabetes is found in children and adults and is often referred to as juvenile diabetes. 

It is possible to treat type 1 diabetes very successfully by monitoring levels of blood glucose and adjusting the level of insulin in the body. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can require supplementary insulin and diabetic coma can result if the body’s insulin level falls too quickly.

In addition to administering insulin, type 1 diabetes is best managed by exercise and diet. Individuals with this condition need to be aware of their glucose level and ensure that insulin is topped up as necessary by injection.

Type 2 diabetes is different from the type 1 form of this disease because it occurs as a result of insulin resistance or a sensitivity to insulin  and the body’s lowered insulin production. This type of diabetes is commonly seen in people who are very overweight, are advanced in age, have a family history and who take insufficient exercise.

People with type 1 diabetes must take medication because their bodies no longer have the ability to make insulin. But, type 2 diabetics have several different options when it comes to controlling their condition. In some cases exercise and diet could be enough to control type 2 diabetes although insulin and oral medication might also be included in treatment. 

There are a lot of treatment choices available but the most critical element of the treatment equation is the patient. This may well be a chronic disease but that does not mean that it is a lost cause and there are various ways in which you can keep your body in good health when you are a diabetic. In fact, the diabetic is the key player in the fight against the side effects of this all too common disease.

If you have questions about diabetes then there is no better place to visit than http://diabetes-treatment-and-cure.com where you will find a wealth of diabetes questions answered