Type 2 Diabetes

What is Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 Diabetes is a condition where the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood is too high because the pancreas is not producing enough insulin. The hormone insulin helps the body absorb glucose into the body’s cells and is important for bodily function. A person with Type 2 Diabetes cannot control their blood glucose because the insulin that is produced does not work correctly.

Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes include:

Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes are very similar to individuals with Type 1 Diabetes. However, symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes are not always as obvious and being with mild development over a number of years. They include:

• Feelings of thirst
• Frequent urination
• Fatigue
• Weight loss and loss of muscle
• Blurred vision
• Slow healing of cuts

Type 2 Diabetes is very serious. Complications include, but are not limited to heart disease and stroke, nerve damage, diabetic retinopathy (retina- or eye- becomes damaged), kidney disease, foot problems (foot ulcers are common), sexual dysfunction, miscarriage and still-birth.

Dietician treatment of Type 2 Diabetes

Preventing Type 2 Diabetes includes maintaining a healthy heart, making healthy changes to your lifestyle, and proper diet and activity levels. Together, proper nutrition and activity will help reduce the risk of diabetes complications now and in the future.

In practice our dietitian has seen many patients with diabetes, and without exceptionhaving the correct diet is key, ie good and appropriate food choice, in the appropriate amount for you, the timing, types of carbohydrates and amounts.

WeightMatters can help people with Type 2 Diabetes by providing a glucose monitoring system to track blood glucose levels over a period of time. This will enable you to have a better understanding of how food effects your blood glucose levels and where best to place your medication to facilitate the best blood glucose control.