6 ways to manage your type 2 diabetes

As you may already know, type 2 diabetes is the noninsulin-dependent diabetes. It is a condition that affects the way the body metabolizes sugar/glucose. In case of type 2 diabetes, the body either resists the effects of insulin (the hormone that regulates the movement of sugar into your cells) or doesn't produce enough insulin to maintain a normal glucose level. Type 2 diabetes is most common in adults, but it started to increasingly affect children because there is a growing number of obese children. Type 2 diabetes cannot be cured, but there are plenty of ways through which it can be managed. Losing some weight, having a balanced diet, exercising are simple steps that people suffering from diabetes can take to improve their health and manage their condition. Here are 6 of the most common ways in which type 2 diabetes can be managed: (1) Lose weight: Statistics show that more than 80% of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are obese. People who carry most of their fat in their belly (apple shape) are more prone to type 2 diabetes than those with fat mostly in the thighs, hips, and buttocks (pear shape). Making wise choices about diet, limiting portion size and spending a little more time weighing and measuring the food to learn how much you’re eating can help a lot in achieving a healthy weight. (2) Make exercise part of your routine: Exercise is an important element in managing a wide variety of conditions and type 2 diabetes is part of them. Starting small, with easy activities, such as walking can be very beneficial. To do that, start by setting up goals, such as doing between 5,000 and 10,000 steps a day. Regular weight-lifting sessions can also help keep blood sugar levels steady. (3) Quit smoking: Smoking is in general very bad for your health, but if you have diabetes and smoke, that can equal slow suicide. Ask your doctor for help to break the habit. (4) Reduce the stress and relax: Stress can cause even harder to control blood sugar levels. Try relaxation techniques to chase away stress. Try some stress relievers such as yoga, meditation, massage, pleasant music and deep breathing. (5) Monitor your blood glucose levels. Checking to see what your blood sugar is doing at different times of the day is very important because the patient will know whether the changes he or she is making are successful and can be motivating. (6) Control Sleep Apnea: Many overweight people with type 2 diabetes also have sleep apnea (when a person stops breathing temporarily while sleeping). People with type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea are at higher risk of death from heart attack and stroke. You should consider talking to your doctor if you think you may have sleep apnea - loud snoring is one sign. Good medical care is also key in controlling type 2 diabetes, such as getting regular checkups for potentially serious complications (heart attacks and strokes, kidney disease, blindness etc). ...

...