Type 2 Diabetes: What Is Your Body Doing?

Twenty million people in the United States have problems with their blood sugar. Some people have abnormally low blood sugar, which means that their blood converts too much sugar; these people are called hypoglycemic. When the sugar levels in the bloodstream are abnormally high, and stay that way without consuming any food or beverages, the person is said to be diabetic. There are two main categories of diabetes: Type 1 and type 2 diabetes. They both mean that the body is not absorbing sugar the way it should be.

You may be wondering what the difference is between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. With type 1 diabetes, the body reacts to sugar by simply ignoring it, in essence. You see, the pancreas is supposed to produce insulin, the chemical that allows sugars to break down and convert to energy. But with type 1 diabetes, there is no insulin being produced. Therefore, any sugars that are consumed are allowed to float freely through the body, obstructing the oxygenation of cells. This is what as known as “insulin dependent” diabetes, because people with type 1 are required to inject themselves with artificial insulin whenever their glucose monitors indicate that the sugar levels are too high. Type 2 diabetes, though affects many more people. About ninety to ninety-five percent of all diabetics have type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed when the body is for some reason resistant to insulin. In these cases, the pancreas is producing insulin, though likely not enough, but yet the body refuses to use the insulin the right way. For these diabetics, often a diet that limits sugar intake, coupled with oral medications, can keep the diabetes and the blood sugar at normal levels. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes require constant blood sugar monitoring, though. By ignoring this integral component of diabetic management, type 1 or type 2 diabetes can wreak havoc on the body, and sometimes even result in death. Blood sugar levels that are consistently too high do not allow the blood to flow properly, nor do they allow oxygen to be delivered correctly to all cells in the body. This can unfortunately result in tissue death if they are left for too long without necessary oxygen.

Overall, diabetes is not necessarily completely preventable, so knowing your risk factors and the types of diabetes that exist is probably a good idea. Type 1 diabetics will have to inject themselves with insulin (or have an insulin pump installed in their body), while those who suffer from type 2 diabetes, the leading form of the disease, may be able to manage their disease with diet and oral medications. A specific diabetic diet can enable some type 2 diabetes patients the freedom from the medication that they crave. In fact, millions of those with type 2 are able to go long periods of time without taking any medication whatsoever. Nonetheless, those with type 2 diabetes must consistently monitor themselves and keep their diets in check.