Type 2 diabetes is a chronic and difficult condition but it is not impossible to deal with it. If you or someone you love has type 2 diabetes, then take the first step of learning how to live with it by understanding it.
Normal System
Type 2 diabetes can be understood by first understanding how our bodies work. After eating, the body converts or breaks the food into glucose and other nutrients. All of these enter the bloodstream through the process of digestion. The level of glucose in the blood therefore rises which is an automatic sign for the pancreas to produce insulin which in turn is responsible for the regulation of glucose levels. Insulin is the substance which lets glucose be used as the body cells’ primary source of energy. People with diabetes either cannot make enough insulin or cannot react normally to insulin. A person who has this condition therefore maintains high glucose levels in the blood.
Type 2 Diabetes
There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes involves the inability of the immune system to distinguish between harmful elements and the pancreas and may end up crippling its function. People with this condition usually take insulin shots to supply the body with sufficient amount of the substance.
Type 2 diabetes is different because it is the person’s response to insulin that is impaired. A person with this type of diabetes can still produce insulin but the body’s cells seem resistant to the encouragement of insulin to accept enough glucose. Glucose levels will then continue to increase, signaling the pancreas to produce more insulin until it becomes too overworked to produce any. The end result is a lot of glucose in the bloodstream and not enough insulin to regulate glucose levels.
Causes
The exact cause of type 2 diabetes cannot be fully explained. There is a possibility though that there are genetic factors involved. If one or both of your parents have had type 2 diabetes then you might just develop the condition too.
There is also some evidence that overweight people are more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people with normal weights. It is believed that excess fats hamper the work of insulin on cells. It should be remembered though that being overweight does not necessarily mean that you will definitely develop diabetes. Conversely, thin people are not always exempt from the condition.
Signs
Not every person who has some degree of insulin resistance will develop type 2 diabetes. At the same time, not every diabetic individual will exhibit the same signs and symptoms. A common symptom however is an extreme and frequent lack of energy which can be explained by the lack of glucose in the cells from which energy is produced. A person with type 2 diabetes may also feel thirsty all the time because of frequent urination which can be explained by the kidneys’ attempt to flush out glucose. In some adult women, the frequent incidence of yeast infections may be an early sign of high glucose levels.
Type 2 diabetes is easier to deal with and it can be controlled in most of the cases compared to type1 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can be controlled by proper diets. Patients must keep a Mediterranean diet to ensure their well being. An alkaline diet for the diabetic patients can be harmful as it may cause more alkalinity in the patient’s blood. Causes of type 2 diabetes are still not fully known and symptoms vary from person to person other than the common signs of urge for urination and thirst.
