Studies showed that between 8% and 45% of children who have been newly diagnosed with diabetes have the form known as type 2.

What is Type 2 diabetes and how can one control it?

Diabetes is condition that is known to be chronic and a condition that requires close attention, nevertheless with some practical knowledge, you can become your child’s most vital ally in learning to live with the disease.

Once people are diagnosed, the primary goals of type 2 diabetes treatments are to control glucose levels and to reduce other conditions that put patients at risk for major complications. Such complications include heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke, among many others. Treatments for type 2 diabetes are life-long � there is no pill to cure this chronic disease.

Controlling Glucose

Of type 2 diabetes treatments, controlling blood glucose is the most widely-utilized. Generally, the goal is to keep one’s blood sugar stable and doctors may set levels specific to each person. Controlling glucose requires careful monitoring. Doctors may have people check their blood sugar daily or several times a week; it varies by individual. Some people can manage their diabetes with changes to diet and exercise, while others require medication.

Diet and Exercise

Both diet and exercise have a significant impact on blood glucose levels. While there is no one diabetes diet, patients are encouraged to eat nutritious, low-calorie foods. They often have to reduce animal fats and sweets and count carbohydrates. Consistency is key. People must also make physical exercise a part of their daily routine. Exercise lowers blood sugar, so patients should make it a priority. Always consult a doctor before beginning an exercise regime, but for most people, 30 minutes of aerobic exercise combined with strength training, most days of the week, is ideal.

Medications

Some people find changes to diet and exercise sufficient treatments for type 2 diabetes, but many others require medication and insulin therapy. Medication regimes are individual, based on each person’s medical history, other diseases, and individual factors. Yet metformin (Glucophage) is often prescribed; this diabetes medication lowers glucose production in the liver. Other oral or injected medications increase insulin-production in the pancreas. Still others block the breakdown or absorption of carbohydrates.

Insulin Therapy

Insulin therapy is common among medication-based type 2 diabetes treatments. Patients may use insulin injections or an insulin pump; insulin cannot be taken orally. There are many different types of insulin and doctors may prescribe a mixture based on individual factors.

Reducing Complications

The second major goal of type 2 diabetes treatments is to reduce future complications. Patients must often make lifestyle changes. Doctors may recommend regular exercise, limiting alcohol, the cessation of smoking, among others. They may also prescribe certain medications like ACE inhibitors and diuretics to lower blood pressure, statins and fibrates to lower cholesterol, or aspirin and clopidogrel to control clotting. Regular check-ups will be required. If patients are conscientious, they can still enjoy active, healthy lives, even with the disease.

Type 2 Diabetes – Basic Facts

A carefully collected data shows that around 20 million residents of USA are suffering from diabetes. More than 95% of these are suffering from type 2 diabetes. The more alarming figure is that average age of diabetic patient has dropped from 52 years to 46 years when the current data is compared with the one collected in 1988.

Even worse news is that diabetes is not limited to only old aged people. Teenagers and even youngsters are also acquiring the disease. Further both genders have an equal tendency of acquiring this disease.

So the question may arise that how does this disease set in? The basic reason behind this is the dysfunction of pancreas. The disease arises when the insulin production by pancreas is impeded because of any reason. Occasionally the cells start to role abnormally and they become unable to use the provided insulin in the bloodstream. Insulin is the hormone that is required to convert glucose into energy.

Symptoms Of Diabetes Type 2

The most problematic thing in type 2 diabetes is there are not any obvious symptoms of the disease. The most common signs of diabetes however are

* Upsurge in urination

* Intensified thirst

* Appetite increase

* General exhaustion

* Slow healing of wounds

* Indistinct vision

* Erectile dysfunction in men

* Recurrent vaginal infection in women

If someone is experiencing any of the above mentioned symptoms it is better to consult doctor at its earliest.

Treatment of Diabetes Type 2

The most important step in treating diabetes is to lose weight. Most doctors are of the view that losing of added weights helps in the proper control of blood sugar level. This also decreases requiring diabetic medication. The best two methods of losing weight are

1. Exercising regularly

2. Following a proper diet menu

Exercise

Cardiovascular exercises and weight training help to trim down not only the waist but also blood sugar levels.

Diabetes Type 2 Menu

The most important nutrient the diabetic should consume is proteins. It helps to build the muscle and bone mass of the body. This further helps in generating energy as well. The healthiest proteins for diabetics are low fat milk, skinless turkey, soy food, nuts and legumes. Generally a person must accustom himself to eat more fruits and vegetables instead of preserved and canned foods.

In order to monitor the foods you eat in breakfast, lunch and dinner it is good to design a diabetes type II menu. The typical items that can be included in type II diabetes menu are potato salad, Spanish omelets, green salad, and shrimp, grilled chicken sandwich and fruit yogurt. These meals are not only healthy but also mouthwatering.

Type 2 diabetes causes the pancreas to be unable to produce sufficient insulin, or in rare cases, type 2 diabetes causes the body to be unable to identify and use the insulin that the pancreas does produce. Insulin is a hormone, which controls the transfer of blood sugar (glucose) into cells. This causes a build-up of glucose in the blood, and cells will not receive the sugar they need to perform essential functions.

Many type 2 diabetes causes influence whether an individual is at risk. Overwhelmingly, your genetic code contributes to your risk. Not only may your family history cause type 2 diabetes, but your ethnicity also impacts your type 2 diabetes risk. Studies show that in the United States, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, and Japanese Americans have the highest occurrences of developing type 2 diabetes.

Other type 2 diabetes causes are centered on your body type and lifestyle. These causes of type 2 diabetes include high blood pressure, high levels of body fat, consuming too many fatty foods or too much alcohol, lack of exercise, and obesity. Also, your age may cause type 2 diabetes. Individuals are at much higher risks when they exceed 45 years of age, and again when they exceed 65 years of age.

Obviously, certain type 2 diabetes causes are outside of your control. You cannot control your age, ethnicity, or genetics. If you are obese or suffer high blood pressure, there may be factors influencing those conditions, which are also outside of your control. Recognize which type 2 diabetes causes you can control, and take steps to reduce your risk. Type 2 diabetes is much easier to prevent than treat and live with.

First, exercise regularly. If exercise is difficult for you, either physically or mentally, talk to a doctor about how to find exercise that you can handle. It is so important that you find a way to exercise, that it is worth your time and effort to make it happen.

Do you know that nearly 6 million people in the United States have type 2 diabetes and do not know that they have it?

This is because many have no signs or symptoms. The symptoms may be mild that one cannot even notice them. And some individuals may have symptoms but do not suspect diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, a disease marked by high blood glucose levels. Because it’s gradual, oftentimes those with this disease have no symptoms or don’t recognize that anything is wrong. Here are the most common type 2 diabetes symptoms.

Thirst and Urination

The most common symptoms of type 2 diabetes are increased thirst and urination. When excess glucose builds up in the bloodstream, fluids get pulled from the tissues. The body tries to lower glucose levels by excreting more urine. People become very thirsty all the time, causing them to drink and urinate more often. It may also affect eyesight. If fluid is pulled from the lenses of the eyes, vision may appear blurry, affecting the ability to focus clearly.

Hunger and Weight

Due to the body’s insulin response, the body can’t efficiently move glucose into cells. Thus, muscles and organs can become energy-depleted, which causes people to get very hungry. Yet people may actually lose weight, even if they eat more. Since cells aren’t getting the glucose from the bloodstream, the body turns to alternative fuels for energy: those stored in muscle or fat.

Fatigue

Since cells aren’t getting the necessary fuel, people may become tired and irritable. Fatigue can be extreme, causing a foggy mind or even exhaustion at having to walk a few steps. It can often hit after large meals. People are tired, even if they sleep all the time. This can be one of the most noticeable symptoms of type 2 diabetes.

Infections

Those with type 2 diabetes get frequent infections. Sores and bruises may heal slowly. High blood sugar prevents cells from fighting infection normally. Slow healing may also be due to poor circulation.

Other Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms

Some people, especially children, get a condition known as acanthosis nigricans – patches of dark or velvety skin primarily found in the folds and creases of the body, like the armpits and neck. It may indicate insulin resistance – a hallmark symptom of type 2 diabetes. Other people experience tingling, burning, or numbness in feet and hands. Still others have problems with sweating, dizziness, or gum disease. Men may experience erectile dysfunction. Over time, type 2 diabetes symptoms get worse and lead to more serious problems with the heart, nerves, kidneys, blood vessels, and eyes.

Around one-third of those with the disease don’t know that they have it. If people find these symptoms of type 2 diabetes familiar, they should schedule an appointment with their healthcare professional.

Types 2 is usually found in adults but its increasingly common nowadays in many adolescents due to an excess of food, a sedentary lifestyle, coupled with no exercise.

How can you manage diabetes without drugs?

Before we go on, it is necessary here to state that you need to check on a regular basis your blood sugar levels. Do not assume your blood sugar levels are okay. Confirm it.

To properly manage your blood sugar levels, the first step must be you controlling your eating. Basically, diabetes is caused when the body over a period of time takes in more calories than it can handle. This impairs the pancreas and leads to insulin resistance. And since insulin breaks down the body’s sugar, an excess of sugar accumulates in the body.

As a diabetic, your daily consumption of carbohydrates has to drop. The reason as you already know is that the primary sources of sugars into the body are through carbohydrates. It is recommended that carbohydrates should only be 40-60% of your recommended daily food intake.

Once you reduce your intake of carbohydrates, the quantity of sugar available in the blood system will automatically reduce.

Diet should be kept to 1,500 – 1,800 calories a day of food. There are variances in calorie intake due to factors such as height, sex drive, age and a host of other issues. What is crucial is that you exercise self control in your food consumption so as to have healthy blood sugar levels.

You must reduce your intake of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats as this can erase the effect of the lower carbohydrate intake. You can substitute the two fats with saturated fats.

Your next step is exercise. This to me is the most important.

The benefits of exercise is that it does not just have the ability to burn off the excess calories and sugars in the body, but also reduce your appetite which makes it easier to reduce your blood sugar levels.

So what kinds of exercises are best for a diabetic?

In a research conducted it was observed that exercise regimen that was a mix of aerobic and resistance training produced the best results on glycemic levels. Though aerobics and resistance training can be conducted on their own, the best results were gotten when they were combined.

The amount of exercise you need to carry out is not extreme but has to be consistent. For most people, exercise starts off with a little of fanfare and after sometime, interest fades and the exercise regime stops.

For you, a brisk 45minutes walk everyday or taking the stairs rather than the lifts can make a remarkable difference.

Consistency on your part to your exercise regimen is the key to reducing the weight and therefore glycemic levels. Once your weight is under control, your glycemic levels too will be.

It is common to prescribe drugs for diabetes treatment. Type 2 however responds very well to exercise and a sensible diet.

If however sticking to a healthy exercise regimen does not appeal to you, it is advisable you stick to a drug regimen.

It is thought that the cure is brought about by changes to the hormones produced by the digestive system as a result of surgery and not simply the loss of weight.

Understandably patients and surgeons have been delighted with these findings and demand for the gastric bypass has increased.

Another study which has been recently published shows that another type of bariatric surgery, the gastric band, is also effective at curing type 2 diabetes. During gastric band surgery a device called The LapBand®, is fitted by keyhole surgery. The LapBand is placed around the stomach and restricts food intake. The study’s lead author, Dr. John Dixon of Monash University Medical School in Melbourne, Australia comments: “It’s the best therapy for diabetes that we have today, and it’s very low risk.”

Toni Russo, consultant bariatric nurse for Streamline Surgical said:

“The findings by Dr John Dixon are fantastic news and show that there is a real alternative for those patients who don’t want to undergo a gastric bypass procedure.”

Leading bariatric Surgeon Mr Guy Slater said:

“Studies like these are really positive as they indicate that bariatric surgery isn’t just a way to treat obesity, it can also offer many other health benefits. We can only hope that this message gets out to people so that they can consider the many benefits that bariatric surgery will bring to them.”

One of Mr Slater’s patients, 45 year old Gary from East Sussex has already seen the benefits that bariatric surgery can have not only on weight loss but also health. Gary explains:

“Weighing over 25 stone I was an ideal candidate for bariatric surgery. It was only after meeting with Mr Slater and researching the gastric bypass procedure that I realised I could also be rid of my type 2 diabetes. Since the surgery I have lost over 9 stone and I am no longer on any medication for diabetes which feels amazing.”

Bariatric surgery changes patient’s lives in so many ways, the curing of type 2 diabetes is just one of the many benefits.

By far, diabetes has been one of the most devastating diseases known to the human race, and it has been recognized and well known for over two thousand years, but there is no history of type 2 diabetes, or any other differentiation between different types of diabetes, until the twentieth century came. It was not until 1935 that diabetes disease was discovered that there were multiple types of diabetes, and it could be said that this is where the history of type 2 diabetes truly began.

Roger Hinsworth made a very remarkable discovery in1935 that there were, in fact, two different types of diabetes. Those which were sensitive to insulin is called the (Type 1), and those that were not (Type 2). This breakthrough was finally made possible by the relatively recent discovery of insulin in 1921, and presumably came about when doctors noticed that insulin injections were having less of an effect on some patients with diabetes disease. In the 1950′s, a new medication was developed that is considered to be the beginnings of the history of type 2 diabetes treatments. Before now, there was no history of type 2 diabetes treatment whatsoever, so those with type 2 had to make due with simply using more insulin in hopes that their cells would absorb enough.

From then on, type 2 diabetes history pretty much ran alongside that of type 1. Urine strips were introduced in the 1960s, thus making it easier than any other time in the history of type 2 diabetes to detect the amount of insulin in the human body. This made it far simpler for people to manage and control their diabetes. In 1961, one time use syringes were introduced to the market, eliminating and getting rid of the need for the thick, durable early syringes that were had to be boiled to be cleaned, sharpened on a regular basis, and were prone and susceptible to developing painful barbs.

Ames Diagnostics created portable glucose meters in 1969 as a method to determine if an unconscious patient was diabetic or just drunk. Although these original meters weighed around three pounds, more recent technologies have reduced the size to that of a hand held calculator.

Insulin pumps, designed to mimic the natural insulin production of the human body, were created in the late 70′s, and were at first carried by patients as a backpack type setup. Technology has impacted these as well, and they are now small enough to clip onto a belt or pocket. Much more recently, oral medications have been released to the market that does the job of insulin pumps, making it so that a lot of diabetics merely have to take a pill to control their insulin.

With so much recent advancement in the medical world, it seems that it may not be too long before type 2 diabetes history comes to a close.

It is not known exactly what triggers type 2 diabetes but development begins when the cells in your body stop responding to insulin. This restricts your ability to convert blood sugar into energy so the pancreas and liver both respond by releasing extra insulin and glucose. If this happens for a prolonged period, your pancreas’s insulin production capabilities become limited and your body’s cells start to further resist insulin. This eventually leads to your blood sugar levels becoming excessively high and the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Since type 2 diabetes often develops gradually over time the symptoms are very difficult to spot. In many cases there are no symptoms at all and even when symptoms do unfold they are typically so mild that the sufferer does not notice them. However, if you notice any of the following symptoms (no matter how slight) you could have type 2 diabetes:

- Cuts or sores that heal slowly.
- Feelings of drowsiness.
- Greater hunger and thirst levels.
- Soreness in your legs.

To get tested for type 2 diabetes you need to go and see your doctor. They will then test your blood sugar levels to gauge whether you have diabetes. Two of the most popular tests are the fasting plasma glucose test (where you fast for eight hours and then have your blood sugar levels measured) and the oral glucose tolerance test (where you consume a sugary drink and then have your blood sugar levels measured). If either of these tests confirm that you have type 2 diabetes your doctor will be able to give you further advice on effectively managing your condition.

Type 2 diabetes is associated with a number of complications and can cause serious damage to your body if not managed properly. Poorly management of the disease can lead to hyperosmotic non-ketotic acidosis (a type of coma brought on by a lack of insulin), damage to your eyes, damage to your heart, nerve damage and more. Thankfully, the majority of these complications can be avoided by following your doctors advice and managing your diabetes properly.

Your doctor is likely to make a number of recommendations in this area. You will be advised to get a blood testing kit so that you can continually check your blood sugar levels. You may also be prescribed insulin injections depending upon the severity of your condition (approximately 40% of type 2 diabetics require additional insulin). However, in most cases changes to your diet and exercise routine will be enough. On the diet side you will be advised to cut down on salt, reduce your alcohol intake and eat more frequently throughout the day. For the exercise you will be advised to participate in 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity activity per day.

The development of type 2 diabetes is heavily linked with poor lifestyle choices. If you want to stop this condition from destroying your health then you need to listen to your doctor and start making the correct lifestyle choices today.

Whilst every intention has been made to make this article accurate and informative it is intended for general information only. Diabetes is a medical condition and this article is not intended as a substitute for the advice of your doctor or a qualified medical practitioner. If you have any concerns regarding type 2 or any other form of diabetes you should seek the advice of your doctor immediately.

Tom Parker owns and operates a number of useful fitness resources and websites. The Free Fitness Tips blog provides you with fantastic, free advice on all aspects of fitness. For more detailed information on type 2 diabetes please visit the free Fitness Tips blog

A clinical study by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases found that losing a mere 5 to 7 percent of your total body weight can significantly reduce the risk of developing full blown type 2 diabetes. The 2002 study found that a group of patients that followed a low-fat, low-calorie diet and exercised moderately for 150 minutes a week reduced their risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent.

The connection between weight and type 2 diabetes is undeniable. Obese people are five times more likely to get diabetes than people who maintain a healthy weight. Of the over 21 million people in America with diabetes, 95 percent of the cases are type 2. Other risk factors include heredity and sedentary lifestyle choices.

So, how can you make the changes to your diet and activity levels? Start off slowly. Swap out a salad for an order of french fries. Do without the ranch dressing though. Instead, try using straight balsamic vinegar or another low-calorie alternative. Then, incorporate a 10-minute walk into your daily routine. Whether it is before lunch, after dinner or first thing in the morning, make sure to make the time and effort every day.

Once you adapt to these basic changes, step it up a notch. After about a week, you’ll feel ready to make more challenging changes. Replace candy and sugary beverages with fresh fruit and unsweetened iced tea. Better yet, drink only water for a week. You’ll feel great, and your skin will be positively glowing. Also, extend your walks to 30 minutes for five of the seven days of the week. You’ll be amazed at the health benefits a nice walk will bring. You don’t have to run marathons to be physically fit. Walking burns calories and uses lots of muscle groups without putting lots of strain on your joints. It is ideal for weight loss.

Old habits die hard, but losing your vision or a limb to diabetes is much more difficult than eating a salad and taking walks. Being dependent on insulin and blood sugar testing devices is a difficult way to live. When your blood sugar constantly spikes and drops, it is hard on your body, your personality and the other people around you. You can become irritable, moody, aggressive and even manic. Your good health matters to each and every person that loves you. Your friends and family are counting on you to preserve your own health so you can enjoy many more years to come.

If you are a borderline type 2 diabetic, you don’t have to spend the rest of your life on medication if you learn how to change your lifestyle. It is not easy to do, but a life without needles and pills makes all the salads and aerobics worth the effort.

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We hear a lot from both recent and past studies that if we shift in dietary habits to include low-glycemic functional foods and low-calories meals, and the modest increases in physical activity it could offer a valuable approach for reversing Metabolic Syndrome and preventing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease in at-risk people.

The simplest, cheapest and most effective way to access the benefits associated with a physically active lifestyle and they are many is to walk. No kidding.

Foe example, you might be able to find a few community projects that encourage people to walk 10,000 steps a day. Of course most people do not know what 10,000 steps are equal to, how long, or how far they should walk. 10,000 steps are roughly equivalent to seven or eight kilometers of walking. That may sound like a long walk, but the idea is not to do it all at once, but rather accumulate it over the course of your entire day. Walk and pick up the paper, walk a bit further from where you park the car, and take as many opportunities as you can during the day to acquire steps. Simply put, be a bit more self-propelled during the day. Depending on your habits, you may or may not need to add some extra walking before or after work to achieve the 10,000-step goal.

The normal person, by the way no one is normal, takes about 100 steps per minute. If we use this number we can calculate that 10,000 steps will take you one hour and forty minutes to complete. Again this doesn’t have to be done all at once. Instead spread it over the entire day which means that still leaves you with over 22 hours on virtual inactivity!

You can use of a pedometer to keep track of the steps that you complete. These are relatively inexpensive and are available through a number of retailers. The pedometer is an effective means of establishing how much you do, and is a great little tool to start you on the road to increased activity.

One time I saw a movie on television. It started off with a wealthy man hold got into his car, drove down his driveway to the letterbox, picked up the newspaper, got back into the car, and reversed back to the house. This is only one (extreme) example of the poor activity decisions many of us make everyday. Called it the American Paradox, this seemingly conflicting message reflects the drastic decrease in ‘incidental’ physical activity and its effects on the energy balance. There has been a significant decline in the amount of incidental physical activity as opposed to goal-directed exercise that we are required to do, or choose to do, in our daily lives.

Walking is the only sustained aerobic activity that is common in the population today. Getting more people to walk more often will help the health and well being of both the individual and the community. It is estimated that an increase of 4,000 steps per day will equate to a loss of 0.2 kilograms per week for a moderately overweight person. Although this may not seem like a lot, one should remember that if you started that habit this week, within 12 months you would be over 10 kilos lighter!

Jackie Khor is a leader in Network Marketing. She is best known for her down-to-earth, no-nonsense training. Get your FREE email on WorkAtHomeBusiness

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