By Beverleigh H Piepers
Photo: img.webmd.com
Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases in our modern world. When you first receive your diagnosis of this disease, you might feel like you have just been given a death sentence, but this is not always the case. Although untreated Type 2 diabetes will most certainly be fatal, receiving a diagnosis early in the disease means you can now take steps to make lifestyle modifications to extend your life. In fact, you can even reverse the condition if you are motivated enough to make these changes.
First Step: The very first step you should take when you receive your diabetes diagnosis is to make the decision to take the disease seriously. Start by educating yourself: immediately make plans to start reading all you can about the disease. Plan to spend a little time each day learning about Type 2 diabetes and what you can do to control your blood sugar without medications. There is plenty of up-to-date research online, and new studies are being carried out all the time.
It is critical you understand:
You should also find out as much as possible about taking care of yourself and preventing possible future diabetic complications. Diabetes is an immensely complex disease that affects every system in your body.
It's critical you follow your doctor's instructions at this time as they will have specific things they want you to do in order to get your body on the right track. For instance, they may want you to check your blood sugar levels several times throughout the day at different intervals. This will give both your doctor and yourself a clearer picture of how your body is responding to medications and the healthy foods you are now going to be eating.
Networking with others: It's also important you establish some kind of support system either from your family and friends, or a local diabetes support group. You need people around you who understand what you're going through and can offer support when times are tough.
Diet: You must adopt a diet that is specifically geared toward people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Your doctor or dietitian will discuss a healthy eating plan with you. The idea at this time is to lose weight... whichever eating plan works for you this is the one to follow. Some diabetics are advised to follow a low-carbohydrate diet, others follow the Rate Your Plate method. When your blood sugar levels start to lower to the suggested healthy level, you will start to lose weight. The main idea is to keep your blood sugar levels balanced throughout the day so you don't have dips or spikes in your blood sugar and insulin levels
The role of exercise: Finally, it's very important you decide it's time to get moving. Next to controlling your food intake, exercise is probably the best thing you can do to control your diabetes. Exercise will usually make your blood sugar levels go down and will continue to help control them for hours after stopping the exercise.
The important thing at the beginning is just to do a little more exercise than you're accustomed to doing... it doesn't have to be vigorous to benefit you in some way.
Heart disease, hypertension and strokes are all potential complications from diabetes, so it's important to keep your body in as good a shape as possible.
Although the numbers for Type 2 diabetes are growing, more treatment options are also being developed. However, as with any medical condition, the best treatment is prevention. Preventing Type 2 diabetes by making healthy lifestyle modifications in advance is the best way to go. Short of that, trying to reverse it with lifestyle changes is your next best bet.
Photo: img.webmd.com
Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing diseases in our modern world. When you first receive your diagnosis of this disease, you might feel like you have just been given a death sentence, but this is not always the case. Although untreated Type 2 diabetes will most certainly be fatal, receiving a diagnosis early in the disease means you can now take steps to make lifestyle modifications to extend your life. In fact, you can even reverse the condition if you are motivated enough to make these changes.
First Step: The very first step you should take when you receive your diabetes diagnosis is to make the decision to take the disease seriously. Start by educating yourself: immediately make plans to start reading all you can about the disease. Plan to spend a little time each day learning about Type 2 diabetes and what you can do to control your blood sugar without medications. There is plenty of up-to-date research online, and new studies are being carried out all the time.
It is critical you understand:
- Type 2 diabetes and know that developing this disease is not your fault,
- how it came about and why it happened to you, and
- what you can do to reverse it.
You should also find out as much as possible about taking care of yourself and preventing possible future diabetic complications. Diabetes is an immensely complex disease that affects every system in your body.
It's critical you follow your doctor's instructions at this time as they will have specific things they want you to do in order to get your body on the right track. For instance, they may want you to check your blood sugar levels several times throughout the day at different intervals. This will give both your doctor and yourself a clearer picture of how your body is responding to medications and the healthy foods you are now going to be eating.
Networking with others: It's also important you establish some kind of support system either from your family and friends, or a local diabetes support group. You need people around you who understand what you're going through and can offer support when times are tough.
Diet: You must adopt a diet that is specifically geared toward people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Your doctor or dietitian will discuss a healthy eating plan with you. The idea at this time is to lose weight... whichever eating plan works for you this is the one to follow. Some diabetics are advised to follow a low-carbohydrate diet, others follow the Rate Your Plate method. When your blood sugar levels start to lower to the suggested healthy level, you will start to lose weight. The main idea is to keep your blood sugar levels balanced throughout the day so you don't have dips or spikes in your blood sugar and insulin levels
The role of exercise: Finally, it's very important you decide it's time to get moving. Next to controlling your food intake, exercise is probably the best thing you can do to control your diabetes. Exercise will usually make your blood sugar levels go down and will continue to help control them for hours after stopping the exercise.
The important thing at the beginning is just to do a little more exercise than you're accustomed to doing... it doesn't have to be vigorous to benefit you in some way.
Heart disease, hypertension and strokes are all potential complications from diabetes, so it's important to keep your body in as good a shape as possible.
Although the numbers for Type 2 diabetes are growing, more treatment options are also being developed. However, as with any medical condition, the best treatment is prevention. Preventing Type 2 diabetes by making healthy lifestyle modifications in advance is the best way to go. Short of that, trying to reverse it with lifestyle changes is your next best bet.
To discover answers to questions you may be asking yourself about Type 2 Diabetes, click on this link... Natural Diabetes Treatments
Clicking on this link will help you to learn more about Type 2 Diabetes Solutions... Beverleigh Piepers RN... the Diabetes Detective.
Beverleigh Piepers is the author of this article. This article can be used for reprint on your website provided all the links in the article are complete and active. Copyright (c) 2011 - All Rights Reserved Worldwide
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beverleigh_H_Piepers Clicking on this link will help you to learn more about Type 2 Diabetes Solutions... Beverleigh Piepers RN... the Diabetes Detective.
Beverleigh Piepers is the author of this article. This article can be used for reprint on your website provided all the links in the article are complete and active. Copyright (c) 2011 - All Rights Reserved Worldwide
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