In Estonia, diabetes has been diagnosed in about 70,000 people who require daily and continuous treatment. Type 2 diabetes is a sneaky disease, which, at the time of discovery, has often already caused irreversible damage to the body.<\/p>\n
Next, we will take a closer look at what type 2 diabetes is and how to control the disease that has already developed? But most importantly, \u2013 is it possible to prevent the development of the disease?<\/strong><\/p>\n Diabetes, also known as sugar disease<\/strong>, is a chronic disease characterized by prolonged elevated blood sugar levels and disturbances in carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism.<\/p>\n Diabetes occurs when the pancreas is no longer able to produce enough insulin or cannot use it as effectively as it should. Insulin is a hormone that helps the body’s cells absorb glucose circulating in the blood,<\/strong> which is an essential source of energy for cell activity.<\/p>\n Diabetes has several different forms, but they all share a common feature, which is a disruption of energy metabolism, manifested as elevated blood sugar levels. There are four types of diabetes:<\/strong><\/p>\n Type 1 diabetes<\/strong> is hereditary and an autoimmune disease. Type 1 diabetes is often developed during childhood or adolescence<\/strong>, when the cells of the pancreas are destroyed and no longer produce insulin. As a result, glucose cannot enter the cells and accumulates in the blood.<\/p>\n Type 2 diabetes<\/strong> is a chronic disease where the pancreas does produce insulin, but in insufficient amounts or with weak efficacy. This results in glucose accumulation in the blood. Type 2 diabetes is most often developed in adulthood.<\/strong> Type 2 diabetes is referred to as a lifestyle disease because the affected person is usually overweight and has high blood pressure and cholesterol.<\/p>\n A healthy person has a normal blood sugar<\/a> level of up to 6 mmol\/l on an empty stomach<\/strong> and no more than 7.8 mmol\/l two hours after a meal. In diabetes, this level is higher than normal. Very high blood sugar is persistently over 10 mmol\/l.<\/p>\n Diabetes is diagnosed through a fasting blood sugar test, a glucose tolerance test, or an HbA1c test. Before a fasting blood sugar or glucose tolerance test, you must refrain from eating or drinking for 12 hours.<\/p>\n Type 2 diabetes is a serious disease that can cause irreversible complications if left untreated. The symptoms of type 2 diabetes often develop slowly and can appear in various ways. Therefore, type 2 diabetes may go unnoticed for years.<\/span><\/p>\n Get your blood sugar level checked if you are over 40 years old, overweight, and have low physical activity.<\/strong> The main symptoms of type 2 diabetes are:<\/p>\n It is important to know that type 2 diabetes cannot be cured. The goal of diabetes treatment is to keep the disease under control, prevent complications associated with diabetes, and ensure the remission of symptoms and a good quality of life for the patient.<\/p>\n The basis for treating type 2 diabetes is always a lifestyle change.<\/strong> A healthy diet, weight reduction, oral medication, and, if necessary, insulin therapy help maintain blood sugar levels at the proper level.<\/p>\n If left undiagnosed, type 2 diabetes can cause serious complications as persistently high blood sugar secretly damages all organ systems.<\/p>\n The only way to prevent complications from type 2 diabetes is to maintain blood sugar levels within a proper range.<\/strong> Treatment usually involves lifestyle changes such as healthy eating, regular physical activity, and weight loss. Medication is often necessary.<\/p>\n Know that it is important to regularly monitor your blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes to avoid complications.<\/strong><\/p>\n Diabetes damages the blood vessels in the retina of the eye and causes impaired vision. The resulting damage is called diabetic retinopathy<\/strong>, which can occur in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. By the time of diagnosis, changes in the eye background are found in one in five patients with type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n The better the control of high blood sugar<\/a>, cholesterol<\/a>, and blood pressure<\/a>, the lower the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.<\/p>\n Diabetes also damages blood vessels in the kidneys. As a result, the normal regulation of blood flow, urine formation, and the filtering and cleansing function of the kidneys is impaired.<\/p>\n Diabetic nephropathy is more likely to occur in people who have had diabetes for a long time.<\/strong> Often, diabetes has lasted for 10-20 years by this point. Therefore, diabetic nephropathy is more common in older people and less frequent in younger individuals.<\/p>\n Diabetes damages nerve endings, which prevents the sensation of pain when you injure your foot. For this reason, people with diabetes are advised not to walk barefoot outside.<\/p>\n Diabetes also leads to poor blood circulation in the feet, weakening resistance to infections. Injuries and wounds heal more slowly. As a result, any infection or ulcer on the feet can become a serious problem. Diabetes is the leading cause of lower limb amputations.<\/strong><\/p>\n A person can do a lot for themselves by keeping their blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels under control. Additionally, weight loss can significantly improve the results of diabetes treatment.<\/strong> Therefore, people with diabetes need regular monitoring.<\/p>\n Diabetics need daily vitamins and minerals<\/strong> that support normal blood sugar levels, vision, and metabolism. Such supplements include chromium, bitter melon extract, choline, silymarin, B vitamins<\/a>, zinc<\/a>, Vitamin D<\/a>, and magnesium<\/a>.<\/p>\n Changing your lifestyle is a big step towards preventing diabetes, and it\u2019s never too late to start. The main cause of type 2 diabetes is unhealthy eating and lack of physical activity, which ultimately leads to weight gain and obesity. Therefore, we can say that type 2 diabetes is a disease caused by a poorly chosen lifestyle.<\/strong><\/p>\n The most important factors in preventing type 2 diabetes are:<\/strong><\/p>\n Following a healthy lifestyle is important for everyone, but it is especially important for people with type 2 diabetes. In the case of type 2 diabetes, a healthy lifestyle helps reduce complications associated with the disease, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and vision loss.<\/p>\n A healthy lifestyle includes:<\/p>\n Studies have shown that a 10-20% weight loss can significantly improve blood sugar levels<\/strong> and reduce insulin requirements by up to half.<\/p>\n In addition, physical activity helps improve blood sugar levels<\/strong>, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and reduce body weight.<\/p>\n Proper nutrition is also important to maintain blood sugar control. Diabetics should eat regularly and prefer healthy foods<\/strong> such as fruits, vegetables, low-fat meat products, and whole grains. Additionally, diabetics should avoid processed foods, sugary drinks, and fatty foods.<\/p>\n Take responsibility and rely primarily on yourself. Doctors can no longer cure you of type II diabetes!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What is type 2 diabetes and how can an already developed condition be controlled? But most importantly \u2013 is it possible to prevent the development of the disease?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9292,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[320],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10123","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diabetes"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is diabetes?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Different forms of diabetes<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
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What is the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
What is a normal blood sugar level?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
What are the risk factors for type 2 diabetes?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
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What are the symptoms of type 2 diabetes?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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Why should diabetes be treated?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
What are the complications of type 2 diabetes?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
High blood sugar can cause the following damage:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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Diabetes and Eyes<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
Diabetes and Kidneys<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Diabetes and Feet<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
Recommendations for Type 2 Diabetes<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
Can Diabetes Be Prevented?<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
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What Does a Healthy Lifestyle Provide in the Case of Type 2 Diabetes?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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