What causes type 2 diabetes? Type 2 diabetes is when your body is unable to use insulin efficiently or at all. Your body stimulates your pancreas to create more insulin until it is unable to meet the demands. This leads to a decrease in insulin production and high blood sugar levels.
The major factors that contribute to developing type 2 diabetes are genetics, lack of physical exercise, and being overweight. However, recent studies have begun to identify links between other health factors and environmental circumstances. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented with improvements in diet and an increase in exercise.
Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes often occur in people who are 45 years of age or older. However, younger people who are overweight or living sedentary lifestyles are at a higher risk of developing symptoms of type 2 diabetes.
Some of the common symptoms of type 2 diabetes include:
- Dark patches in the folds of your armpits and neck
- Pain or numbness in your feet
- Slow-healing sores
- Frequent infections
People with type 2 diabetes also experience the general diabetes symptoms including:
- Frequent urination
- Drowsiness or fatigue
- Excessive hunger or thirst
- Dry, itchy skin
- Blurry vision
- Slow-healing wounds
Type 2 Diabetes Treatment
Prevention is the most effective method of avoiding type 2 diabetes. A healthy lifestyle can prevent prediabetes or type 2 diabetes from ever developing. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented with weight control, regular exercise and avoiding smoking. Women who have had gestational diabetes should be more cautious as they are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
People with type 2 diabetes should monitor their blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol at all times in order to avoid more major conditions in the future. The best type 2 diabetes treatment is regular exercise and a healthy diet in addition to medications that help control blood sugar. The most popular medication for controlling blood sugar is metformin, which can be found in various forms including Glumetza, Glucophage, Fortamet, and Riomet.
