| Doctors distinguish two types of diabetes. Type 1 is observed when the body does not make insulin at all. People suffering from type 2 diabetes either suffer from insulin deficiency, or their cells ignore the insulin they have. Nearly 95% of people with diabetes suffer from type 2 diabetes. This is sometimes also called "non-insulin dependent" or "adult-onset" diabetes. Left untreated, diabetes can cause blindness, nerve damage and vascular disorders that brings on foot or leg amputation, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and death.BE AWARE OF YOUR RISKYou are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes, if members of your family had or are having it, or if you are a representative of an ethnic minority group. If the child you gave birth to weighed more than nine pounds and/or if you had gestational diabetes when you were pregnant, you may also be more likely to develop diabetes. Males and Females in their mid 40s and older are in the risk group, too.If you are in the risk group, your doctor may want to begin diabetes screening on a regular basis. The earlier you discover you have diabetes, the more you and your physician can do to make certain you stay healthy.CHANGES ARE NECESSARYUnfortunately, you cannot do anything to change your age, ethnicity or family history, but there are several factors that you can take control of. The risk of developing diabetes also heightens if:• You are corpulent.• You do not do physical exercise regularly.• You have an unhealthy diet.If you know you are at risk, making proper choices about what you eat and physical activity can help you stay healthy. Studies have shown that sticking to a nutritious diet and doing exercise can forestall or delay type 2 diabetes.If you are obese, remember that obesity is the single most important risk factor for type 2 diabetes. According to estimates, 80%- 90% of people with diabetes are overweight. Losing weight and controlling it can help forestall diabetes. Consume a variety of foods, including those containing a lot of fiber, such as whole grains, vegetables and fruits. Try to get less than 30% of your daily calories from fat. Also, eat less.Note that any amount of physical activity is much better than none. Ride an exercise bicycle while viewing the evening news program or your favorite sitcom. Most of all, make sure you take up an activity are fond of, so you will stick with it.Thus, eating properly and doing exercise are the keys to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. |
