Accounting for over ninety percent of all cases, type 2 diabetes is the type most frequently diagnosed. Insulin is a hormone that makes energy from sugar and other foods we eat. The first stage of diabetes is insulin resistance. When the body stops producing or properly using insulin, we develop diabetes. As the body's requirements for insulin increases, the pancreas stops making it. While genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise are believed to be key, the exact cause is unknown. Type 2 diabetes self management plans then become a necessary control measure.
Classes are available through diabetes self management programs that provide information about type 2 diabetes and teach the skills necessary to avoid the many complications of the disease. These classes teach the patient how to monitor glucose, modify their diets, develop exercise regimens, how to self-inject insulin and many other things that are necessary for staying healthy and strong.
Daily injections of insulin by syringe is for some the most difficult part of type 2 diabetes self management. A medical device called an insulin pump is a good alternative. This small battery operated pump, worn on the waist, has a reservoir that contains insulin which is automatically injected into the body by way of a catheter imbedded under the skin. The pump is easily detached for bathing or showering and is easily adjustable when insulin doses need to be changed.
The problem of obesity is a major hurdle that must be overcome for a type 2 diabetes self management program to be successful. About 60 percent of the of the U.S. adult population is considered to be overweight or obese. If these overweight adults would lose weight they could reduce their risk of illness or death from diabetes as well as hypertension, heart disease, and other conditions that have been associated with being overweight.
To minimize complications from type 2 diabetes, blood sugar must be controlled. Blood glucose meters are an essential tool in checking blood sugar. Keeping track of your blood glucose levels is an integral part of successful diabetes self management. Blood glucose meters are one part of diabetes related technology that eases the stress of diabetes treatment. Urine testing is still important, but having an accurate and reliable blood sugar meter is necessary for staying ahead of the disease.
Moderating food intake is essential to controlling type 2 diabetes. A person with the disease can continue to eat their favorite foods if portions are controlled. Eating foods high in nutrition with lots of vegetables and fruit is necessary. Diabetes self management programs have dietitians on staff that can assist in developing a plan that works for each individual.
Exercise is an integral part of type 2 diabetes self management. Besides making you feel better physically and mentally, exercise is essential to managing your weight and lowering your blood sugar. It also lessens your risk of cardiovascular disease, common in people who have diabetes. When exercising, your muscles use sugar for energy. This causes a reduction in blood sugar. The harder you workout, the longer the effect lasts. And, if you have type 2 diabetes, exercise can increase your insulin sensitivity meaning that your body needs less insulin to transport sugar into your cells. Combined with a proper diet, exercise could minimize or completely eliminate the necessity for glucose lowering medication.
Being successful at implementing a type 2 diabetes self management plan is really about adjusting to a new, healthier way of life. Other than having to take daily medication, which we all face anyway as we age, it means taking good care of ourselves. And shouldn't we all be doing that anyway?
A good
type 2 diabetes self management plan is essential for controlling
type 2 diabetes. The author, John Richmond, has written numerous articles about diabetes and they can be found at
www.YourDiabetesInfo.com. This and other
unique content 'diabetes' articles are available with free reprint rights.
