Type 2 Diabetes

What causes it?

In Type 2 diabetes, your body doesn't use insulin properly, and sometimes your pancreas doesn't make enough of it. Insulin is like a helpful hormone that turns your food into energy and helps control your blood sugar levels. This type of diabetes is often connected to being overweight, not being active enough, using harmful stuff like tobacco or alcohol, or having a family history of diabetes. 

Here are some signs that might indicate you have Type 2 Diabetes:

• Feeling very thirsty all the time 
• Needing to pee more often, especially at night 
• Always feeling tired 
• Losing weight without trying 
• Getting infections often 
• Having blurred vision 
• Cuts and grazes taking a long time to heal 
• Bad breath 

Certain factors can increase your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, such as being over 45 years old, having high blood pressure, being overweight or obese, having a family history of diabetes, or having had gestational diabetes during pregnancy. 

To keep track of your blood sugar levels, there are certain ideal ranges to aim for, but don't worry if your numbers are a bit different as long as your doctor is okay with it. The ideal ranges are: 

• Before meals: 4 to 7 mmol/L 
• 2 hours after meals: 8 to 9 mmol/L 
• At bedtime: 6 to 10 mmol/L 

How do you manage it?

To manage Type 2 Diabetes, there's no cure, but you can lead a healthy lifestyle and take your medication as your doctor recommends. Here's what you can do: 

• Keep an eye on your blood sugar levels with a blood glucose meter or continuous glucose monitoring. 
• Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins, while avoiding sugary and fatty foods. 
• Get moving and be physically active for at least 30 minutes most days, like walking or cycling. 
• If you're overweight, try to lose some weight; even a small weight loss can make a big difference. 
• Take your prescribed medication as instructed by your doctor. 
• Visit your doctor regularly for check-ups to monitor your blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and blood pressure. 

How to recognize and treat hypoglycemia:

If you're worried about low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which can happen in Type 2 Diabetes, treat it quickly by eating or drinking something sugary, like sweets, non-diet sugary drinks, or fruit juice. 

The Follow-up:

After your diagnosis, you'll have regular check-ups with your doctor to keep an eye on how you're doing and make sure your diabetes is under control. These check-ups include blood and urine tests to track your progress. 

Remember, managing Type 2 Diabetes is all about making positive changes and staying on top of your health with the support of your doctor and care team.