Type 2 diabetes can be defined as a chronic disease that restrains your body from using insulin efficiently. This progressive health condition can also be termed as insulin resistance.
Usually, middle and older aged people have higher chances of having type 2 diabetes, therefore, it can also be known as adult-onset diabetes, but it doesn’t mean it cannot affect young adults and children. However, these are uncommon cases.
On the other hand, the onset of this condition can be slow and gradual and symptoms happen to be milder in the early stages.
Here are some of the most common causes and symptoms of type 2 diabetes.
Causes
The pancreas creates a hormone – insulin – that functions to turn glucose from food into energy. With the onset of type 2 diabetes, the pancreas creates insulin but the cells don’t utilize it effectively to turn glucose into energy, which ultimately leads to chronic fatigue and weakness.
The following are some of the most common causes of type 2 diabetes.
Genetics
The most common cause of this condition is your genes. If your family has a history of type 2 diabetes, you have higher chances of having it.
Obesity
Obesity or being overweight can cause insulin resistance.
Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a collective term for different types of health conditions. Insulin resistant people tend to have obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar levels.
Improper Communication Between Body Cells
At times, as a result of certain ailments, our cells don’t send signals or receive messages from the brain correctly, which causes potential health issues like an impaired chain reaction of insulin and glucose that leads to type 2 diabetes.
Symptoms
The symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be mild in the beginning that they remain unnoticeable, including:
- Chronic fatigue
- Constant hunger
- Sudden weight loss
- Constant thirst that won’t go away
- Blurred vision
- Itchy skin or skin rashes
- Dry mouth
Some alarming symptoms may include:
- Slow healing of wounds
- Yeast infection
- Pain in legs and feet
- Numbness and tingling in limbs
- Dark skin around or back of the neck and armpits
If you notice a group of any of these symptoms, do not resist speaking with your doctor to manage the disease during its early onset to avoid potential health risks like heart disease, loss of vision, kidney impairment, and sexual problems.
Treatment to Manage the Symptoms
Your doctor will effectively guide you to manage your symptoms. Here are some measures you can take to keep a balance in your health.
- Take meals with fiber-rich foods and take healthy carbs by eating vegetables, fruits, nuts, and whole grains.
- Only eat to curb your hunger.
- Have meals at regular intervals.
- Engage in low-intensity workout or aerobics to control weight gain and improve heart health and boost energy levels.
Your doctor can also help you create a healthy diet plan. Making simple lifestyle changes can help you manage most of the symptoms of type 2 diabetes and encourage healthy living and overall well-being.
