Overview
Type 2 diabetes is when your body can’t use insulin properly, causing high blood sugar levels and potential health issues.
If you have type 2 diabetes, your doctor might give you medicines or suggest things to do to control your blood sugar and make sure you stay healthy.
Keep reading to find out what people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes can do to get better.
Weight loss
Simply put, the Centers for Disease Control says that being overweight means weighing more than what’s healthy for your height.
Most folks who discover they have type 2 diabetes and are carrying extra weight will typically be advised by their doctor to shed some pounds as part of their treatment
Losing 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can be really helpful for folks with type 2 diabetes. It can make your blood sugar levels go down, and you might not need as much medicine for diabetes. That’s what scientists found in the Diabetes Care journal.
Research indicates that losing weight can potentially lower the risk of heart disease, a condition more prevalent in individuals with type 2 diabetes compared to the general population.
To help you lose weight, your doctor might suggest eating fewer calories in your meals and snacks. They might also recommend increasing your physical activity.
In certain situations, your doctor could propose weight-loss surgery, which is also called metabolic or bariatric surgery.
Dietary changes
Your doctor may suggest you eat differently to control your blood sugar and weight. It’s important to eat well for your overall health, but there’s no one perfect diet for everyone with type 2 diabetes.
In simple terms, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) suggests:
Eat different kinds of healthy foods like whole grains, beans, veggies, fruits, lean meats, and good fats.
Try to have your meals regularly throughout the day.
Don’t miss meals if your medicine can make your blood sugar drop too much.
Avoid eating too much.
If you need help making changes to your diet, talk to your doctor. They may refer you to a registered dietitian who can help you develop a healthy eating plan.
Physical exercise
Your doctor may suggest that you do more exercise to control your blood sugar, maintain a healthy weight, and reduce the chances of complications from type 2 diabetes.
As per the ADA, here’s what most adults with type 2 diabetes should do:
Aim for at least 150 minutes of exercise each week. It should make you breathe harder but still able to talk.
Do strength training 2-3 times a week, on different days.
Don’t sit too much; move around instead.
Try not to skip physical activity for more than two days in a row.
Your doctor may recommend different levels of physical activity based on your health. Sometimes, they might also suggest avoiding specific activities.
Your doctor might send you to a physical therapist to create a safe exercise plan for you.
Medication
You can control your blood sugar just by making changes to your everyday life.
As time goes by, some folks with type 2 diabetes may have to take medicine to control it.
Your doctor may give you different types of medicines based on your health and what you require:
Pills you swallow.
Insulin, which can be a shot or inhaled.
Other shots, like GLP-1 drugs or amylin analogs.
In many situations, your doctor will begin with oral medicine. As time goes on, you may have to include insulin or other injectable medications in your treatment.
If you want to know more about the medicines you can take, just talk to your doctor. They can explain the good things and bad things about different medicines.
Blood sugar testing
The main aim of treating diabetes is to make sure your blood sugar stays within the right range.
If your blood sugar goes too low or too high, it can lead to health issues.
Your doctor will regularly check your blood sugar levels by ordering a test called the A1C test to see how well your blood sugar is doing.
They might also suggest that you regularly measure your blood sugar at home.
To test your blood sugar at home, you have two options. First, you can use a blood glucose monitor by pricking your fingertip and placing a drop of blood on the monitor. The other choice is to get a continuous glucose monitor. This device has a tiny sensor inserted under your skin and keeps an eye on your blood sugar levels nonstop.
The takeaway
To control type 2 diabetes, your doctor might suggest you eat better, exercise more, or adjust your daily habits. They may give you some medicines too. Plus, they’ll want you to come in for checkups and blood tests regularly.
If your symptoms or blood sugar levels change, inform your doctor. Type 2 diabetes can evolve over time, and your treatment plan may need adjustments to suit your changing requirements.
