Understanding, Preventing, and Managing Type 2 Diabetes

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Understanding, Preventing, and Managing Type 2 Diabetes

Introduction

In this paper, I am going to attempt to provide a detailed understanding of type 2 diabetes, the populations it affects, and how lifestyle and medical development can change how one lives with this disease.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also known as the CDC, defines type two diabetes as a long-lasting condition that affects the way the body processes blood sugar. It is also known as adult-onset diabetes. Type two diabetes affects millions of adults in the United States; with type two diabetes, the body either does not produce enough insulin or resists insulin. Although there is no cure for diabetes, there are actions that can be taken to increase prevention!

Type 2 diabetes affects a wide range of age groups and nationalities. It mostly impacts people who have unhealthy lifestyles. People who have a family history of type two diabetes, especially those with first-degree relatives, have an increased risk of developing diabetes.

The symptoms appear slowly, and often, symptoms are not seen. Some examples include increased thirst, urinating frequently, excessive hunger, fatigue, and blurry eyesight. If someone notices these symptoms, they should seek help from a medical professional. Medical providers are the only professionals able to diagnose and treat diabetes. There are several treatments that can be considered when one is diagnosed.

Causes

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “30.3 million US adults have diabetes, and 1 in 4 of them don’t know they have it.” It is vital that people know the symptoms that come with type 2 diabetes so they know when to consult a physician. Several health conditions can occur when someone is diagnosed with diabetes, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, blindness, kidney failure, and nerve damage. This can lead to heart attacks and strokes. It also damages the nerves and can cause feet to feel less pressure, pain, heat, or cold. An affected limb may need to be amputated if skin ulcers do not heal or become larger, deeper, or infected. Having high glucose blood sugars can cause kidney problems, causing them not to work as well as they used to. (Need a sentence to end this section.)

Prevention

Several studies show that physical activity can significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If a person is diagnosed as pre-diabetic, there are things that can be done to prevent becoming a diabetic. Controlling one’s diet and being active are the most important changes one would need to make to help prevent diabetes. The CDC has created a diabetes prevention lifestyle change program that can help people get on the right path. It is an approved program that provides people with lessons, handouts, and resources to make healthy changes. It also provides lifestyle coaches and support groups to help people keep goals and motivation. This program is a great opportunity for participants to celebrate successes and overcome obstacles.

Symptoms

Any person who believes they have diabetes should consult a physician for diagnosis. People who have diabetes can have several symptoms, including frequent urinating, extreme thirst, inexplicable weight loss, sudden vision changes, tingling or numbness in the hands or feet, increased fatigue, slow healing sores, and more infections than usual. If any of these symptoms are occurring, the doctor would consider testing. The most common test to be completed is a fasting Hemoglobin A1c, also known as A1C.

Application

The number of people with diabetes has expanded since 1980. Commonness is increasing worldwide, particularly in low and middle-income countries. But the rise is due in part to increases in obesity and lack of physical activity. Diabetes affects about 26 million people in the United States and 382 million people worldwide; 90%-95% have type 2 diabetes. People of different nationalities have a greater risk of developing type two diabetes and are strongly encouraged to pay attention to symptoms that are associated with type two diabetes.

This topic needs to be addressed immediately after symptoms occur. If a person has a family history of diabetes, they should schedule an appointment with their primary care physician. This information can help a physician determine if testing is required. If tests show positive for diabetes, the physician will choose to treat this by directing people to become physically active, change their diet, and, if needed, prescribe medications.

This topic is specifically useful for people who are concerned they may have type two diabetes. It also would benefit scientists and professionals who are looking for research and guidance in this field of study. This can assist professionals with guiding their patients to information that is understandable to patients rather than guiding them to documents that can be misinterpreted due to the medical terminology used in other documents.

It is important for people to understand the symptoms and causes associated with type two diabetes and when or how to consult a doctor. This is especially true when they are diagnosed or begin to see issues arising with their health. It is important for people who have a family history of diabetes to know what to do to prevent them from having type 2 diabetes.

Approaches/Treatments

Many people can manage diabetes through healthy eating, physical activity, and blood glucose testing. Most providers direct diabetics to change their eating habits, and a good way of doing that is through eating a diabetic diet. A diabetic diet requires people to follow the diabetes food pyramid and use the plate method. Diabetics should not drink sugary drinks; instead, they should drink water, and when they are tired of drinking water, they should make infused water. Infused water is created by putting fresh vegetables, fruit, or herbs into water and letting it sit in the fridge. This is a very simple zero-calorie drink.

Diabetics should eat at least half a plate of vegetables, which include asparagus, baby corn, broccoli, cabbage, celery, cucumber, jicama, onions, peppers, radishes, salad greens, squash, and tomato. A quarter of the plate should be grains or starches, including whole wheat items, brown rice, wild rice potatoes, green peas, pumpkin, acorn or butternut squash, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, and lentils. The last quarter of the plate should be lean protein. It is best to limit the amount of red meat diabetics eat, and it is recommended that they eat fish, seafood, and poultry. Examples of some meat would be albacore tuna, salmon, rainbow trout, chicken, turkey, and Cornish hens.

Along with controlling someone’s diet, diabetics should also focus on exercising. Exercising helps the body to use insulin better, improves circulation, reduces the risk of heart disease, and improves cholesterol levels. If being active is not a normal routine, it is suggested to start working out five to ten minutes a day and increase the time weekly. Some examples of exercise include brisk walking, bicycling, dancing, swimming, stair climbing, jogging, running, hiking, and moderate-to-heavy gardening. Strength training has also been proven to help lower blood glucose sugars. It is recommended to exercise five times a week. Strength training should be done at least two times a week in addition to aerobic exercise for thirty minutes a day.

Blood glucose sugars are best controlled when knowing what the results are and should be tested regularly. A glucose meter is important to have and is used by pricking the finger with a lancet (a small needle) and placing a drop of blood onto the test strip. Results allow people to know what in their diet needs to be changed. Regular testing assists in avoiding long-term health problems that branch from this disease. Glucose meters, along with other supplies, are available at any local pharmacy. When someone takes these precautions, it is expected to help with weight loss and, most importantly, control high glucose blood sugar levels.

Treatments/Expected Outcomes

When someone incorporates physical activity, diet change, and glucose monitoring into their life, the result expected is to have controlled diabetes. When someone becomes physically active, the expected result is to help them lose weight. One’s weight is determined by age and height. See the chart below to identify what your weight is. People should review with their physician their weight and know exactly what their weight goal should be to control their weight.

Controlling one’s diet is expected to assist with controlling the amount and type of food eaten. When someone changes their food habits, they can see results by losing weight and having better-controlled blood sugars. With glucose monitoring, the expected outcome is to know where the blood sugar is at to control blood glucose sugars. Blood glucose levels should be between 90-140. Together, these three things can help someone control type 2 diabetes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important for all people to be aware of the causes, prevention, symptoms, and treatments involved with type two diabetes. It affects many types of nationalities and age groups but is most known to occur in adults who are obese. Type two diabetes is a life-changing disease and is difficult for all people that it affects. Though there is no cure, it is important for people to know that it is possible to live with diabetes, but it does not come easy, and it requires a lifestyle change.

References

“Bright Spots & Landmines: The Diabetes Guide I Wish Someone Had Handed Me” by Adam Brown
“The End of Diabetes: The Eat to Live Plan to Prevent and Reverse Diabetes” by Joel Fuhrman, MD