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Are you recently diagnosed with Diabetes Type 2? We’re sorry that it happened to you, but trust us, you’ll be okay. We’ll work out what to do next throughout this blog. So stay with us till the end of the blog.
For starters, what’s going on in your body when you have a Diabetes Type 2 disorder?
Diabetes type 2 is a metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance and impaired glucose metabolism. In this condition, the body’s cells become less responsive to insulin, leading to elevated blood sugar levels. This means you’ll have to monitor your sugar and carb consumption to lead a normal life.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 400 million people worldwide live with diabetes, and 90% of them have Type 2. In the United States, nearly 34 million people have diabetes, and approximately 95% of those cases are Type 2. The prevalence is rising globally, with projections estimating a 51% increase by 2045 if current trends persist.
– World Health Organization
Can you live a normal life with Diabetes Type 2?
Diagnosis Day
So, you’ve just found out you have type 2 diabetes? Or impaired glucose tolerance? Or Pre-diabetes? Or the doctor said, “You’ve got a touch of sugar” or something similar? And you’re in shock?
Before everything else, you need to know that it is not your fault. Take a deep breath and relax.
What matters now is how you plan to take care of your body. The good thing here is that diabetes is a slow-moving disease, so you have time to adapt, learn, and correct your routine. We’ve seen people take their diagnosis day as the kick-start of their healthy lives.
What should you do next?
While we can suggest a course of activities that can make your lives better, we also assume that all of our readers are taking their regular appointments with their doctors.
In broad terms, this is the plan, in addition to anything the documents prescribe:
1. If you are overweight, lose it. Here are some ideas that we can give you:
- Reduce the quantity and portion size of meat. Replace them with fish instead.
- Increase vegetable servings, particularly greens and low-glycemic-load veggies like cabbage, broccoli, and spinach.
- Minimize milk and use low-fat cheeses like cottage cheese and ricotta. Take Calcium supplements if necessary to replace the loss of dairy calcium; however, you may add some yoghurt.
- Take good snacks like fruit in moderation, nuts in small portions, and a bit of avocado.
- Lots of Variety: Experiment by creating tasty dips, etc. for snacks, adding unusual spices to casseroles or marinades, etc. (but always have a standby in the freezer to allow for the occasional inedible disaster).
2. Obtain a blood glucose test meter.
3. Learn how to test your blood glucose (BG). Here are some hints on painless testing methods. Wash your hands in warm soapy water instead of sanitizing them (cause it makes your skin dry), rinse well and shake them to get the circulation going. Check your lancet holder; it should be adjustable.
We recommend the one from Roche, which is usually painless.
4. Use those tests to adjust your menu to get those blood glucose numbers into the non-diabetic range.
5. Add at least half an hour of moderate exercise to your day. That’s a minimum, not a maximum. If that’s a new activity for you, start easy and work up slowly, but do it.
Risk Factors:
- Family History: Genetics plays a significant role, with a higher risk if family members have diabetes.
- Age: The risk increases with age, particularly after 45.
- Sedentary Lifestyle: Lack of physical activity contributes to insulin resistance.
- Poor Diet: Diets high in processed foods and added sugars elevate diabetes risk.
- Obesity: Excess body weight is a leading risk factor.
The Way Forward with Diabetes Type 2
- Empowering Lifestyle Changes:
- Nutrient-Dense Diet: Emphasize whole grains, fibre, and nutrient-rich foods.
- Physical Activity: Regular exercise improves insulin sensitivity and overall health.
- Weight Management: Shedding excess weight significantly reduces diabetes risk.
- Medications such as metformin, sulfonylureas, and thiazolidinediones are commonly prescribed. But please always, always recommend your doctor before taking any medications.
- Advances in insulin delivery systems enhance precision and convenience.
- Research is ongoing into new therapeutic approaches, including targeted gene therapies.
All in all, please rest assured that you will be fine. You might even be able to eat carbs with meat and veggies. Exercise matters a lot; test enough that you learn which things are bad and avoid them; you will tolerate some medicine better than others – communicate with your doctor about it.
From our research, we have figured out a few tools that make a difference, especially in managing your diet. One such tool to manage diabetes type 2 is Mounjaro. People have also taken Trulicity and have lost 30 pounds in a few months. With some moderation in place, you can continue to even have your favourite food with diabetes type 2.
