Krause - Diet and Exercise for Managing Type 2 Diabetes: The Best Lifestyle Choice to Manage Blood Sugar

What Is Diabetes

Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disease in which the body does not produce enough insulin or does not respond normally to the insulin produced those results in abnormal elevations of blood glucose.

People are most familiar with Type 2 diabetes, as this is the most common form and accounts for more than 90% of the 29.1 million diagnosed cases of diabetes, but there are actually a few different types.

Type 1 Diabetes

This form of diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin and is most commonly diagnosed in children and teenagers. It only accounts for 5% to 10% of all 29 million diabetes cases. While the number of people affected varies by region, it is estimated that 1 to 3 million people in the United States have Type 1 diabetes. While there is no way to prevent the disease, the effects of it can be controlled through insulin intake, which will be ongoing for the duration of the persons life. Researchers continue to study the development trends, effects, and treatments of Type 1 diabetes.

Prediabetes

Those who test with a range of 5.7% to 6.4% Hemoglobin A1C are considered to have prediabetes, any reading between 6.0% and 6.4% is considered at an especially high risk.

This is a threshold area and is an alert that there is a very high risk of type 2 diabetes onset in the future. Those with prediabetes can do a lot to prevent onset, including diet, exercise, weight loss as needed, and medication.

Type 2 Diabetes

This form of diabetes develops as the body begins to resist the insulin produced, which could eventually lead to a lack of insulin. Every time you eat, the body breaks down starches and sugars (carbohydrates) you consume and turns them into glucose. Glucose is the product that fuels the cells of the body. The Pancreas releases insulin, and insulin transports the glucose to the cells so it can be used as energy. In type 2 diabetes, insulin production is either lacking or insulin resistance occurs and glucose remains in the bloodstream, consequently the cells of the body can become energy-starved and eventually, the high glucose levels begin to affect the nerves, eyes, kidneys, and/or heart.

Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90% to 95% of all diabetes cases. Globally, the number has increased significantly in the last two decades, from 30 million cases in 1985 to 285 million in 2010. Obesity is thought to be a major cause of Type 2 diabetes, particularly for those whose genetics make them more susceptible to the disease. A healthy diet and regular exercise may control the disease, and various medications exist that can help control blood sugar. Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed with a standard blood test called Hemoglobin A1C.

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes can include heightened thirst and hunger as well as frequent urination, though often sufferers never experience symptoms. Experts believe that diabetes can largely be prevented by eating healthy, exercising regularly, and maintaining a normal body weight.

Gestational Diabetes

This form of diabetes occurs in pregnant women (with no previous diagnosis of diabetes) who develop high blood sugar, usually during the 3 rd trimester. Experts believe that it is due to the baby inadvertently interfering with insulin receptors. The symptoms are minor, and so it is typically diagnosed during regular pregnancy tests. About 10% of pregnancies result in this form of diabetes, and while it typically does not last after pregnancy, 5-10% of women who have gestational diabetes will develop Type 1 or 2 diabetes after giving birth (usually type 2).

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the only form that can be reversed. Medications can help with this, but regular exercise (the more the better); weight loss as needed and a healthy diet are the foundation for managing the disease and possibly reversing it. Individuals who are obese have also found that bariatric surgery to remove excess weight is successful in reversing the disease.

• Diabetes was the 7th leading cause of death in 2010.
• People with diabetes have a two times risk of death from any cause as compared to those of the same age without the disease.
• 50% of diabetics die of heart disease and stroke.
• 71% of adults with diabetes also have hypertension.
• 44% of all kidney failures in 2011 were the result of diabetes.
• 60% of all non-traumatic amputations of lower limbs occur in people with diabetes due to nerve damage.
• 7,686 cases of diabetic retinopathy were diagnosed in 2010, and this number is up from 2,063 in the year 2000. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in adults age 20 to 74.
• Diabetics are two times more likely to suffer from depression.
• Birth defects, large babies and other dangerous complications to the mother and baby can result from uncontrolled diabetes during pregnancy.

Considerations For Managing Type 2 Diabetes

If youve just gotten the diagnosis of type 2 diagnosis, you may be wondering whats nexthow do you manage such a complex disease? Certainly, your doctor may have prescribed or just recommended that you take a medication for your condition but it is important to remember that medication alone may not be enough to control your blood sugar level. You need to consider other options to help manage this condition.

Weight Considerations

First, what is your weight? Weigh yourself and calculate your body mass index. Heres how its done. Your body mass index or BMI is your weight in pounds divided by your height in inches squared times 703. Ideally, the calculated number should be between 18 and 25. This is considered normal weight. Any number between 25 and 29.9 is considered as overweight and you need to consider losing that weight through diet and exercise. If the BMI is 30 or above, you are considered obese and you would seriously benefit from significant weight loss.

How do you go about losing weight? There are many fast fixes and super pills on the market that claim fast weight loss, but none has really been proven to be effective or to bring lasting results. You need to resort to old-fashioned diet and exercise forms of weight loss. Its really the only way that true long-lasting weight loss can happen.