WHAT IS TYPE 2 DIABETES?
 If neglected, obesity-linked Pre-Diabetes can
lead to the onset of Type 2 Diabetes, the
most common adult form of the disease.
A diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes means that blood glucose
levels are dangerously higher than normal because the body
is either failing to produce enough insulin or not using
insulin properly to convert sugar into energy.
Once it has taken hold, this condition can only be managed,
not reversed, for the rest of a person's life in the majority
of cases. Many Type 2 Diabetics require daily injections
of insulin and the condition, itself, is a seriously increased
risk factor for blindness, heart and kidney disease and the
need for amputation.
Type 2 Diabetes can be prevented, however, at the Pre-Diabetes
stage by reversing the imbalance of glucose and insulin levels
in the blood stream called Insulin Resistance. This latter
condition can underlie Pre-Diabetes.
The key to reversing Pre-Diabetes is weight loss via a balanced,
nutritious diet and regular exercise, which, in turn, can
reverse Insulin Resistance.
Research has shown that some racial groups have a higher
risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. This condition is more
common in African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans,
as well as Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The elderly
are also at greater risk.
Another factor in Pre- and Type 2 Diabetes may be the role
of inflammation, which is part of the body's immune system.
Inflammation triggers a defense response to harmful stimuli
or injury by sending specialized blood cells to damaged areas
where they attack "invaders" like the renegade
molecules called "free radicals" and clean up dead
and dying cells.
In the case of inflammation and Pre-and Type 2 Diabetes,
the "invader" is thought to be excess levels of
insulin, which can be caused by the imbalance of blood glucose
and insulin called Insulin Resistance. To
learn more, click on Inflammation, Insulin Resistance and
Pre-Diabetes.
Click here to read "What
is Gestational Diabetes?"
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