You’ve probably experienced it.
There was that one friend who was always fit and active.
One fine day, before they even had hit age 30, they were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes!
Despite having no family history, the diagnosis meant adopting a strict diet, exercise routine, and taking daily medication to control blood sugar.
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how your body processes blood sugar (glucose). Glucose is your body’s main source of energy and comes from the food you eat. Insulin, a hormone made by your pancreas, helps glucose get into your cells to be used for energy.
With diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t effectively use the insulin it makes. This causes glucose to build up in your blood, leading to high blood sugar levels. Over time, high blood sugar can seriously complicate your health if not managed properly.
The Types of Diabetes
Type 1 Diabetes – Your body does not produce insulin at all. It is an autoimmune disease where your immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. Type 1 diabetes usually develops in childhood or early adulthood, but can occur at any age. It requires insulin injections to manage.
Type 2 Diabetes – Your body does not use insulin properly. This is the most common type of diabetes, occurring in adulthood, and is often associated with obesity, physical inactivity, family history, and other factors. It can often be managed through lifestyle changes, oral medications, and sometimes insulin.
Gestational Diabetes – A type of high blood sugar affecting pregnant women, usually resolving after pregnancy. It increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
No matter the type, diabetes causes blood sugar levels to rise higher than normal and this can lead to serious health complications over time including nerve, kidney, eye, heart disease, stroke, and more. That’s why it’s so important to manage diabetes properly through a combination of healthy lifestyle habits and medical treatment if necessary.
Here are some key ways to manage diabetes:
- Monitor blood sugar regularly: This helps you and your doctor determine if treatment needs to be adjusted. Aim for optimal glucose targets.
- Follow a diabetes-friendly diet: Choose foods that are low in simple carbs, sugars, and unhealthy fats. Focus on lean proteins, high-fiber veggies, healthy fats, and complex carbs. Portion control is also key.
- Stay active: Exercise helps manage blood sugar and promotes weight loss which further helps manage type 2 diabetes. Aim for 30-60 minutes most days.
- Take medication as prescribed: Such as insulin injections or oral medications to help control blood sugar. Don’t adjust medication dosage without consulting your doctor.
- Reduce risk factors: Lose excess weight, quit smoking, manage stress, and make other lifestyle changes to help manage diabetes.
- Get regular checkups: See your doctor frequently to monitor diabetes progression and watch for complications. Get recommended screening tests.
The key is balancing and managing proper blood sugar levels through coordinated lifestyle habits and medical treatment. While living with diabetes isn’t always easy, the condition can be managed very effectively when the right steps are taken.
Consult your doctor to develop the most effective diabetes management plan for your health needs. For more information and resources for living well with diabetes, check out online pharmacies like Gympharmacy (where you can buy medications directly).