Diabetes WA - Type 2

In type 2 diabetes, the body does produce insulin but the insulin is ineffective or there is not enough insulin, or both. It accounts for approximately 85% of people with diabetes and while this type of diabetes is usually seen in adults, it is now being seen in teenagers and children. Type 2 diabetes is managed by regular physical activity, a healthy eating plan and maintaining a “healthy waist”. Carrying more body fat (especially around the abdominal organs) makes insulin less efficient at controlling blood glucose levels. This is often referred to as insulin resistance.

Warning signs may include:

Excessive thirst
Frequent urination
Feeling tired and lethargic
Slow-healing wounds
Itching and skin infections
Blurred vision
Mood swings

Research has shown type 2 diabetes to be progressive, that is, it can get harder to control your blood glucose levels. Therefore tablets and insulin may be required to manage type 2 diabetes later on.

cause

Type 2 diabetes is a problem of not enough effective insulin. It can be a problem of ineffective insulin or not enough insulin, or both. What actually causes type 2 diabetes is unknown at this time. Possibly there will be more than one cause. Some the possible causes include; family history, a lack of physical activity, too much fat on the body or aging.

While the actual cause or causes of type 2 diabetes are unknown, there are some known risk factors that indicate whether a person may be at risk of developing diabetes. Take the tick test here to find out if you are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

What is in our arsenal to prevent type 2 diabetes, how can we fight it? Our opportunity to fight diabetes is centered on the following lifestyle issues:

Being physically active (think of the "find 30" ads)
Healthy eating patterns (low fat, high fibre, low gi)
Maintaining a healthy waist circumference (men < 94 cm and women < 80 cm)
Quit smoking
Drink safe

While our arsenal is small, it is powerful so let’s get moving and enjoy a wide variety of healthy foods.

Today the standard treatment for type 2 diabetes is based on the cornerstone of physical activity and healthy eating. The United Kingdom Diabetes Prospective Study (UKPDS) has demonstrated that type 2 diabetes gets harder to manage as time goes by. That is you are managing your diabetes well, with physical activity and healthy eating but are unable to achieve the same blood glucose levels that you were previously. This is known as the progression of diabetes and people will find as time goes by that they will need to add in medications, change the doses of medications and increase the number of medications they are taking. Insulin will more than likely become a part of your ongoing management. the rate of progression will vary form individual to individual and is not predictable or your fault.

About Diabetes

Type 2

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