You can purchase a blood glucose monitor from a drug store to do this. Your doctor may ask that you check your blood glucose levels on a regular basis. Talk to a registered dietitian who specializes in diabetes for a plan specific to your needs. Focus on consuming whole vegetables and fruit, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats, and drink unsweetened beverages. The key is to reduce calories, added sugar, and starchy foods, and make changes you can live with. There is no “diabetes diet,” so don't fall prey to fad diets. If you are new to exercise, start slowly and build up. A combination of stretching, aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking, swimming, dancing, or biking) and resistance training (such as yoga, lifting weights of any size, or using resistance bands) may be more effective at controlling blood sugar than doing only one type of activity. It does not have to be intense and you can break it up over the course of the day. Lifestyle changes to treat type 2 diabetes ExerciseĪim for at least 30 minutes of activity most days of the week. When these changes are not enough to manage type 2 diabetes, your doctor may prescribe medication or insulin therapy. Behavioral changes such as becoming more active and eating a healthier diet can help to control blood sugar as well as to lose or manage weight if overweight or obese. Type 2 diabetes can initially be managed by lifestyle changes. Two hours later, your blood will be tested again. Then, you will drink and a glass of water containing some sugar. After fasting overnight, your blood will be taken so your doctor can get a measure of your fasting blood glucose level. This is the gold standard test to diagnose diabetes. The third test, the random blood sugar test, is similar to the fasting blood sugar test but doesn't require that you fast. However, the A1C test isn't for everyone, as it is inaccurate in those with anemia and may also be inaccurate in those of African, Mediterranean, or Southeast Asian descent. An advantage of this test is that your blood can be drawn at any time and you do not need to fast. The higher your blood sugar, the more glucose will attach to hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to cells. This test measures the portion of hemoglobin attached to glucose. The A1C test, or glycated hemoglobin test, represents your average blood sugar over the past two to three months. The only complication with this test is the fact that you need to fast, so it's recommended to schedule this test in the morning so you don't need to go too long without eating. Doctors will use a fasting blood sugar test during annual exams after age 45 or earlier if you have a family history of type 2 diabetes, Dr. Then your blood is drawn to check your glucose levels. Fasting blood sugar testįor a fasting blood sugar test, you fast for at least eight hours. “This is why the A1C test can be useful, as it's not vulnerable to fluctuations,” Dr. For any of these tests, let your doctor know if you are on any medication, as steroids can temporarily raise blood sugar levels and atypical antipsychotics are associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The fasting blood sugar test and A1C test are the most commonly used, though some doctors will use the random blood sugar test or a test called the oral glucose tolerance test. There are three main tests used to diagnose type 2 diabetes. Although your doctor may ask you about symptoms to determine if you have type 2 diabetes, he or she will need a blood test to properly diagnose the condition. More than 30 million Americans live with diabetes, with about 1.5 million new cases diagnosed each year.īecause symptoms are nonspecific, most people are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes on the basis of a blood test, Dr. When there are, the symptoms are nonspecific and include increased thirst and urination, blurred vision, low energy levels, and sometimes weight loss. If blood sugar levels rise moderately over time, there may be no symptoms of type 2 diabetes. But people who have diabetes can't make enough insulin to meet that demand.”Īlthough type 2 diabetes generally develops in adults 45 and older, the age of onset has dropped as rates of childhood obesity has risen. “Lots of people can have insulin resistance. “The problem is one of supply and demand,” says David Nathan, MD, director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Diabetes Center. Our bodies need insulin to move glucose into cells so it can be used for energy. At the same time, your body either doesn't use insulin properly or doesn't make enough insulin. The most common type of diabetes, type 2 diabetes is diagnosed when your blood sugar (also called blood glucose) is persistently elevated above the normal range over a long period of time.
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