When you have diabetes there are many factors that go into your ability to manage your blood glucose levels. Exercise is one of these things. Did you know that when you’re exercising your muscles absorb glucose from the blood stream without the use of insulin? Exercise is an easy, healthy opportunity for you to lower your blood glucose level if it’s too high. When you have type two diabetes there is a surplus of glucose in your blood either because your cells are insulin resistant or your body doesn’t produce enough insulin to accommodate glucose into your cells. So, exercise becomes an effective way to manage your glucose levels. Exercise in general reaps many benefits such as lower blood pressure, better control of weight, more energy, improved mood, better sleep. For diabetics specifically exercise reduces the risk of heart diseases. Happy heart, happy life.

Make sure when you’re making your exercise routine you start off with a comfortable routine and then work your way up to a more challenging routine. Also talk with your doctor, they can refer you to physiologist or diabetes educator to help you find an exercise plan that’s right for you. For more information and exercise ideas click here.

If you are struggling with diabetes, there are many different professionals you can go to for help. One professional you can see is a nutritionist. Nutritionists are helpful because they can give you tips on how to regulate a healthy blood pressure, how to use less salt when preparing meals, and help plan a healthy diabetic-friendly diet. Nutritionists have to go to graduate school and graduate with a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree). Common majors for nutritionists include: human nutrition, nutrition sciences, clinical nutritionist, etc. On a day to day basis, nutritionist not only see patients, but they also test new food products and equipment, prepare and administer budgets for food, equipment and supplies, among other things.

The next professional you can seek out is a certified diabetic educator. Certified diabetic educators have an extensive knowledge and background about diabetes, prediabetes and diabetes prevention. This can be especially helpful if you are newly diagnosed and want to know more about diabetes. Diabetic educators are required to be certified through the National Certification Board for Diabetics, meaning they have to meet certain requirements in order to be qualified for the position.

Endocrinologists, are another professional that can help. Endocrinologists have the training to diagnose and treat hormone imbalances and problems by helping to restore the normal balance of hormones in the body. The common diseases and disorders of the endocrine system that endocrinologists deal with include diabetes, mellitus and thyroid disorders. In order to become an endocrinologist, students must complete four years of medical school and then proceed to do two to three years of training as an intern in the practice. Finally, endocrinologists have to spend two to three more years learning and practicing how to diagnose patients and how to treat hormone conditions. Endocrinologists are a reliable source to go to for information on the specifics of your diabetes, and things like your average insulin levels recently.

 

Something a type 2 diabetic has to do before eating anything, is check their blood sugar levels. Checking your blood glucose levels is essential because it gives you useful information on how to maintain your diabetes. It could give you helpful information like how your body is reacting to the treatment you’re giving it, how your diet and exercise are affecting your glucose levels, and how high or low your blood glucose levels are.

    If you were recently diagnosed, some adjustments to your everyday routine will need to be made. Some type 2 diabetics use a glucose meter and a lancing device to test for their blood glucose levels.  Before eating, you will need to prick your finger in order to test your blood. This might seem frightening at first, but after awhile it will become routine.

    You will typically need to test your blood sugar two times a day unless recommended otherwise by your doctor.

    For specific directions on how to test yourself and for more information, click here.

Type 2 can be a life long struggle, so it’s important to know how to take care of your body. One of the most important ways that you can take care of your body, and keep your diabetes in check is through your diet. You know the saying that says the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach? Well the way to a happy life is also through the stomach! We all know each and every one of us has a unique taste pallet, so when building a diet right for you there are 4 key groups of food to keep in mind: carbs, fiber, fat, and salt.

Carbs, or carbohydrates, are commonly known as molecules that give your body short term energy. This means that they affect your blood sugar much faster than fats or proteins would, therefore it is important to know how many carbs you are consuming. Complex carbs are healthier than simple carbs, like sugar, they take longer to break down meaning that you’ll have a steady source of energy. Counting your carbs, and splitting them evenly throughout meals will help you get a handle on your blood sugar. Ingesting too many carbs leads to high blood sugar while too little causes your blood sugar to go low.  

Complex carbs also provide a good source of fiber, which helps your body absorb vital nutrients and control your blood sugar. According to WebMD having a high fiber diet can help reduce the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. It’s a win win situation; you absorb nutrients and help prevent future complications for your body!

    The next food group to pay attention to is the fats. Being a diabetic means that you are more at risk for heart disease so you’ll want to limit the unhealthy fats like trans fat and saturated fat (remember that a fiber filled diet can reduce heart disease). To keep a low fat diet check your nutrition labels for trans fat and hydrogenated oils, which are fat rich. As a diabetic, you’ll learn that the nutrition label will be your most bestest friend.

    Having diabetes means that you are at risk for developing high blood pressure, so general rule of thumb is to avoid having too much salt in your diet. But, you know what helps reduce the risk of high blood pressure? FIBER. So next to nutrition labels, fiber is a pretty important friend to have.

    For more information or examples of a healthy diet please follow this hyperlink here. Or visit your local nutritionist who can help you decide a diet that will help you lead a healthy lifestyle.

Welcome to What To Expect When You’re Type 2 Diabetic. As the first post, we decided to explain a bit about what type 2 diabetes is. Type 2 diabetes happens to be the most common form of diabetes. When you have type 2 diabetes, your body is not making proper use of its insulin; this is known as insulin resistance. Your pancreas is either making too much insulin to balance out the glucose, or not enough. Because of this, glucose may build up in your blood instead of going into your cells. This can cause your cells to be deprived of energy and possible future eye, kidney, nerve, or heart problems.

    For more information on diabetes visit this website for more details.

References

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NCBDE. (n.d.). Diabetes Education, Certification, Examination, Diabetes Self-Management | NCBDE. Retrieved from http://www.ncbde.org/

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