Type 2 Diabetes, it is incredibly common in todays society, yet often we are to ashamed to talk about it or ask questions. Today we hope to answer some of those for you! There are 2 types of Diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. Today we are ONLY talking about Type 2.
This type of Diabetes usually develops in people over 40, overweight or have a family history of it. For example, My Mum and my grandmother were all of normal weight but all had it. So I Have to be very careful in my journey to avoid the same condition. Genetics play such an important role in our health, and for diabetes in particular, weight may not even be the primary influencing factor for you, its genetics!
Type 2 Diabetes basically means there is too much sugar in the blood. Sugar in the blood comes from the food we eat, which then travels around the body to the parts that need it. To get the sugar into the tissues and cells, Insulin is needed to “unlock” the cell door and let the sugar in! Amazing! If there is no Insulin, the Sugar cant get in and the cells cant get what they need.
Sugar is a REQUIREMENT for our body to function, in particular our brain. The problem with Diabetes is there is plenty of sugar but it cannot get to where it needs to be! However, after a family pack of Skittles, there is a bit too much, so regular meals provides all the sugar our bodies need.
Symptoms of Diabetes can include, feeling thirsty all the time, numbness or tingling in hands and feet, Slow healing or skin infections. But most often it is picked up in routine blood tests before any symptoms develop.
When Diabetes is left untreated, it can result in Heart attacks, stroke, blindness, and a ton of other preventable conditions! Prevention is the best treatment!
But Guess what?! Managing (or even reversing!) your diabetes is achievable in almost all cases!!
Loosing weight is an important first step in almost every case, Exercise can help reduce weight but also use up any extra sugar built up in your bloodstream. #upandAdam
Insulin resistance happens when we basically have too much belly fat and our insulin is there, but the fat prevents it from working to let the sugar into the cells.
Eat a healthy and varied diet, reducing sugar and carbohydrates can be especially helpful.
Intermittent Fasting can be very helpful, however, it is incredibly important this is done safely, as very low blood sugar can be very dangerous. If you are on medications to further lower your blood sugar, talk to a healthcare professional first.
It can also be an opportunity for you to make a positive difference to those around you, be they your friends or your immediate and larger family. You taking a positive and active approach to living with your diabetes can sometimes act to improve the health and happiness of your entire family group.
You can make a very practical difference too. The skills you learn to manage your diabetes may be the very skills your children or other family members need to prevent them developing type 2 diabetes at all! Because, remember.. Genetics!
Some groups of people are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes:
European descent aged 40 years or older
Diabetes in your family (grandparents, parents, brothers or sisters)
Maori, Asian, Middle Eastern or Pacific Island descent aged 30 years or older
High blood pressure
Overweight (especially if you carry most of your weight around your waist)
Diagnosed as having pre-diabetes (also known as impaired glucose tolerance) – this occurs when the glucose (sugar) in your blood is higher than normal, but not high enough to be called diabetes
If you gave birth to a large baby weighing more than 9lbs / 4kg, or have had gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)
High blood glucose in pregnancy
High blood glucose in the past
Many people with arthritis swear by the pain in their joints as a predictor of rainy or cold weather. There may be some truth to the old wives’ tale that aching joints indicate a change in weather. According to some old studies, people in barometric pressure chambers found that the lower the pressure, the more aches and pains they felt. So if you can feel the winter in your bones, let see if we can help.
Heat is like a spring thaw for your stiff joints. It boosts blood flow to help flush out pain-producing chemicals and stimulates receptors in your skin that improve your pain tolerance. Warmth also relaxes muscles to decrease spasms and reduce stiffness. If you are like me and arent lucky enough to have a spa at home, a warm shower or soak in a tub (dress warmly afterward to prolong the benefit), heating pads (opt for one that delivers moist heat, which penetrates more deeply than dry heat), electric blankets, and single-use hand and feet warmers that you can slip into your gloves, pockets, or shoes. Even wrapping your hands around a hot cup of coffee or tea and warming up the car before hitting the road can be helpful in your quest to quell joint pain. I have heard it is more beneficial if you get the cuppa brought to you but don't quote me on that!
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