According to a report by NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information), diabetes was estimated to affect 77 million people in India in 2019, with that figure expected to rise to more than 134 million by 2045.
The good news is that, while type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease, there are ways to manage it. This is your comprehensive guide to type 2 diabetes, covering advice for living well with the condition.
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the way the body deals with blood sugar (glucose).
Glucose in the blood is your main source of energy and comes from the food you eat. The pancrea releases a hormone called insulin, which helps glucose from food get into your cells to give energy.
When your body is unable to produce enough insulin or doesn't use insulin well, glucose stays in your blood instead of entering cells.
What Is Type 2 Diabetes?
In type 2 diabetes, the body does not make enough insulin or prevents your body from using insulin the way it should. Type 2 diabetes is also called insulin resistance.
Nowadays, type 2 diabetes is also known as adult-onset diabetes, but both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can start during childhood and adulthood. Type 2 is usually common in older adults, but the increase in the number of children with obesity has led to more cases of type 2 diabetes in younger people.
Treatment
Type 2 diabetes needs to be monitored and kept in control. The following steps will help keep your blood sugar level closer to normal, which can delay or prevent complications.
Diet
There is no ideal meal plan for diabetic patients, but they have to stick to a particular diet that helps them control their glucose level.
Smaller Portion
Turn to more high-fiber foods, such as non-starchy vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Low-fat dairy, low-fat meats, and fish. Use healthy cooking oils like olive or canola oil. Ingest fewer calories.
It is also advised by doctor to see a registered dietitian, who can help you:
- Plan a healthy diet plan based on your food preferences.
- Plan well-balanced, nutritious meals.
- Help to develop new eating habits and overcome obstacles to changing habits.
- Monitor carbohydrate consumption to keep your blood sugar levels under control.
Physical activity
Exercise is good for everyone. Exercises help you lower blood sugar, boost energy and help you sleep better. Exercise is crucial for patients with diabetes as it aids in losing weight and maintaining it.
Aerobic exercise
Start with an aerobic exercise you enjoy, such as walking, swimming, or cycling. Adults should do this for 30 minutes, and children should get 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise per day.
Resistance exercise
Resistance training helps you stay stronger. It includes weightlifting, yoga, and calisthenics. Resistance exercise is often used in outdoor sports like climbing, kabaddi, and boxing.
Weight loss
Weight loss results in better control of blood sugar levels, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure. If you're overweight, you may begin to see improvements in these factors after losing as little as 5% of your body weight. However, the more weight you lose, the better your health and disease management will be.
Your doctor or a dietitian can assist you in setting appropriate weight-loss goals and encouraging lifestyle changes to help you achieve them.
Monitoring your blood sugar
Your doctor will tell you how frequently you should check your blood sugar levels to ensure you stay within your target range.
You may need to check it once a day, before or after exercise, for example. If you take insulin, you may need to do this several times throughout the day. A blood glucose meter, a small, at-home device that measures the amount of sugar in a drop of your blood, is typically used for monitoring. Keep a record of your measurements to share with your medical team.
Continuous glucose monitoring is an electronic system that records glucose levels from a sensor placed under your skin every few minutes. The system can send alerts when levels are too high or too low, and information can be transmitted to a mobile device such as your phone.
Diabetes medications
If you are unable to maintain your target blood sugar level with diet and exercise, your doctor may prescribe you diabetes medications that help lower insulin levels or insulin therapy.
Insulin therapy
Some people with type 2 diabetes need insulin therapy to control their blood sugar levels. Different types of insulin differ in how quickly they work and how long they last.
Your doctor will tell you what type of insulin is right for you and when you should take it. Most types of insulin are taken in the form of injections.
If you have recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, ask your doctor these questions at your next visit.
- How often should I test my blood sugar?
- What kind of food should I stop eating?
- Can exercise help in curing my diabetes?
- I'm overweight, how many kilos do I have to lose to stay stable?
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