Type 2 Diabetes Treatment and its Prevention

30 May

Posted by admin as Diabetes Prevention

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, either the body does not produce enough insulin or the cells ignore the insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be able to use glucose for energy. When you eat food, the body breaks down all of the sugars and starches into glucose, which is the basic fuel for the cells in the body. Insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells.

Treatments for Type 2 Diabetes

Eat a healthy balanced diet. A practice nurse and/or dietician will give details on how to eat a healthy diet. The diet is the same as recommended for everyone. The idea that you need special foods if you have diabetes is a myth. Basically, you should aim to eat a diet low in fat, high in fibre, and with plenty of starchy foods, fruit and vegetables.

Lose weight if you are overweight. Getting to a ‘perfect’ weight is unrealistic for many people. However, if you are obese or overweight then losing some weight will help to reduce your blood glucose level (and have other health benefits too).

REGULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Regular exercise is important for everyone, but especially if you have diabetes. Regular exercise helps control the amount of glucose in the blood. It also helps burn excess calories and fat to achieve optimal weight.

Randomised controlled trials demonstrate a 60% reduction in type 2 diabetes incidence through lifestyle modification programmes. The aim of this study is to determine whether such programmes are feasible in primary health care.

Prevention and Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes

Diet & Exercise

Changing your eating habits and increasing your physical activity are usually the first steps you’ll take to try to bring blood sugar levels down. Your doctor may also advise you to lose weight, as this almost always leads to lower blood sugar levels. It’s important to work with your healthcare provider to design a type 2 diabetes treatment plan that is right for you.

Studies have also shown that medications have been successful in preventing diabetes in some population groups. In the Diabetes Prevention Program, people treated with the drug metformin reduced their risk of developing diabetes by 31% over 3 years. Treatment with metformin was most effective among younger, heavier people (those 25-40 years of age who were 50 to 80 pounds overweight) and less effective among older people and people who were not as overweight.