It is not a secret that type 2 diabetes is on the rise in the United States and around the world in an alarming rate. In fact, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 million people in the United States have diabetes, up from the previous estimate of 26 million in 2010. But if you've been diagnosed, there's a lot you can do to improve your health — and the best place to start is by changing your lifestyle.
Type 2 Diabetes
According to The Inquirer Daily News, diabetes mellitus or most commonly known as diabetes is an abnormality in the body's blood-sugar levels caused by the body's inability to produce enough insulin. As a result, the body will have high levels of sugar in the blood, as insulin is responsible for converting starches, sugar, and other food into the energy your body needs to properly function. There are two different types of Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes, most often first diagnosed in patients 40 years old and older, occurs when the body isn't able to properly process the insulin it produces. This is known as insulin resistance. At first, the pancreas produces extra insulin, but over time, it won't be able to keep blood sugar at normal levels. Some people with type 2 diabetes can manage their diabetes with healthy eating and exercise. However, some may need an oral medication.
How To Manage Diabetes
As reported by Michigan State University, cutting down on carbohydrates is key because carbs are broken down by our body into simple sugars called glucose, and too much of that is not healthy. Eating a variety of vegetables, whole grains, beans, lean meats, fish and poultry is a great way to stay healthy. Portion size is also important and remembering to eat foods that are high in fiber because that helps lower your cholesterol.
Staying active is a great way to help drop some of the extra pounds if your body mass index (BMI) is higher than it should be. Burning calories and losing extra body fat is also another way to possibly change how diabetes affects you and your body. Listening to your doctor or health care provider and being conscious of what you eat everyday matched with a consistent workout plan just may turn diabetes around for you.
