Diabetes Type 2 – The Slow Moving Diabetes

Of the nearly 24 million Americans suffering from diabetes, the majority of them are diagnosed with diabetes type 2. This is a chronic condition, in which the sufferer is unable to properly process glucose (blood sugar). It is a highly treatable, though potentially life threatening ailment. There are several types of diabetes that affect patients. In type 2 diabetes, the body produces insulin but the cells of the body do not properly utilize the hormone to convert glucose into energy. A much more slowly progressing condition than type 1 diabetes, type 2 may develop over a period of many, many years.

Patients who are eventually diagnosed with type 2 diabetes may have spent a long time being "pre-diabetic." People who are pre-diabetic have sugar levels that are higher than normal but that are not high enough to be considered diabetic. Many health professionals consider this to be the single largest health epidemic that we face, with over 56 million US citizens being diagnosed as pre-diabetic. If carefully monitored, a patient who is pre-diabetic can make dietary and lifestyle changes that may help them to avoid progressing into type 2 diabetes. Once it blossoms into full blown diabetes, the condition will worsen and must be carefully monitored in order to keep it under control.

In its earliest stages, diabetes type 2 is classified by the presence of unusually high levels of insulin being present in the blood stream. There are medications that can be taken at this point that will enhance the body's ability to utilize the insulin, in order to maintain a normal blood sugar level. Over time however, the production of insulin may become increasingly impaired and the diabetic may eventually need to take replacement insulin, much like a type 1 diabetic. It is not uncommon for diabetes type 2 to go unnoticed for many years, as the symptoms tend to be mild, sporadic or even non-existent.

Diabetes type 2 is highly treatable, especially in the earliest stages. Changes in diet and exercise, along with weight loss can make marked improvements in the condition. For some people suffering from this illness, these changes alone may be enough to control the condition. If not maintained however, it may be necessary to begin taking oral anti-diabetic medication in addition to the aforementioned lifestyle changes. There is a genetic predisposition for diabetes type 2, so it is very important that you be screened regularly if anyone in your family has suffered from diabetes. With proper management, this potentially fatal condition can be readily controlled.

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