Type 2 diabetes is more or less a lifestyle disease, most commonly linked to obesity. Type 2 diabetes can actually be treated fairly easily, if it’s detected early enough to make lifestyle changes to help manage it. In many people who actually have Type 2 diabetes, they can treat themselves by eating healthier and making physical changes to be more active. But you can’t treat Type 2 diabetes until you know you have it, and without knowing the warning signs, you can be putting yourself at serious and life-threatening risk. Learn the warning signs of Type 2 diabetes so you can conquer it more quickly.
Type2 diabetes is a condition in which the body just can’t turn food into energy, and excess sugar levels pool up in the blood. This causes circulatory issues, heart disease, vision loss, and many other issues associated with diabetes if left untreated. And what’s scary is that 1 in 3 people with Type 2 diabetes are completely unaware that they have it. Yikes!
Warning signs of Type 2 diabetes start out small at first, and are only tell-tale if you know what you’re looking for. The first sign of Type 2 diabetes is usually thirst- you’re thirsty all the time for no apparent reason, have a dry mouth, and urinate- a lot. Weight gain or weight loss in extreme amounts is usually common along with the sudden increase in thirst.
Blurry vision, headaches, and fatigue that come out of nowhere and stay consistent are other signs of Type 2 diabetes. As the sugar levels become more and more abnormal, the body reacts with drops in energy and headaches and other signs of low sugar.
As Type 2 diabetes progresses, it begins to make the immune system less and less effective. Most people find out they have Type 2 diabetes when they go into their doctor concerned about something else- that cut that never healed, yeast infections all the time, and serious groin itching. Since the immune system is more and more compromised, the body gets infections and doesn’t heal like it used to.
Simply managing weight and getting active is a great way to prevent diabetes. If you have a body mass index of 25 or more, then you should be concerned about diabetes. Likewise if you have high blood pressure and/or smoke, even if you are thin. Often, people who have never been overweight can have Type 2 diabetes, so getting blood work done to check sugar levels can help keep you in check. A simple blood or oral glucose challenge test is all that is needed to diagnose Type 2 diabetes.
Managing Type 2 diabetes starts with diet- limiting calories, carbs, and protein is a great start. Exercising 20 minutes a day 5 days a week helps lower blood pressure, lower body fat, and keep Type 2 diabetes in check. Taking pills and insulin to help manage sugar levels may be prescribed in cases where diet and exercise alone don’t work well enough to manage Type 2 diabetes.
Over time, Type 2 diabetes can wear down the kidneys, arteries, and can cause blindness. This is less likely if you manage to keep your Type 2 diabetes in check via healthy diet, exercise, and watching your glucose levels. Diabetes can also cause permanent nerve pain or damage, and can cause blood to pool in the feet, leading to foot ulcers, the inability to walk, and eventual amputation due to lack of circulation. Entirely untreated or not treated well enough, as many as 2 out of 3 people who have Type 2 diabetes will die from the disease, namely via heart failure.
Managing Type 2 diabetes starts with knowing the warning signs. If for reasons you cannot explain you are suddenly drinking tons of water or are tired all the time, a simple blood test can mean the difference between life and death. The sooner you get a grip on Type 2 diabetes (remember, a third of people who have the disease don’t even know it), the healthier you will be overall, and the sooner you can treat this chronic disease.
Source:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/slideshow_type_2_diabetes/article_em.htm