Most people hear the word “diabetes” and don’t understand its seriousness. There is a reason diabetes has been dubbed the Silent Assassin by medical professionals – by the time you know it’s there, it may be too late. It causes enormous health problems that are life-threatening and life-changing, such as heart disease and loss of limbs – in the US for example, 73,000 people a year lose a limb due to diabetes.
It really is a killer and it’s time we all got fully informed.
Diabetes is on the rise in the UK, with a new case diagnosed every two minutes, and over 3.6 million diagnoses between 2016-2017. Out of all these cases of diabetes, 90% are type 2.
What’s perhaps more shocking than these high numbers is the fact that type 2 diabetes is a reversible condition. Read on to find out why it’s important to get checked out, and what you can do to manage it.
What is Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is a serious, lifelong disease that can lead to serious complications, and relates to the body’s function and production of insulin.
Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas which allows glucose to be removed from the blood and transmitted into the cells. With type 2 diabetes, either the insulin your pancreas is making isn’t working effectively, or you are unable to produce enough of it. This leads to a buildup of glucose in the blood, leading to high blood sugar levels.
To deal with this, the pancreas ramps up its insulin production, exhausting the pancreas and compromising future insulin production. In other words, it’s a vicious cycle! Luckily, there are things you can do to break it. The best thing about type 2 diabetes is that it is a reversible disease, and with the right precautions, you can prevent it, reverse it, and return your blood sugar levels to normal.
Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
It’s important to be aware of the symptoms of diabetes, although you may not be aware that anything is wrong as the symptoms can be mild. Knowing that you are prediabetic or diabetic is the first step towards getting healthy. It is recommended that you have a diabetes test https://walkin-clinic.co.uk/blood-tests/diabetes with a doctor if you notice any of these symptoms, or if you are in the higher risk categories for diabetes (over 50, have a family member with diabetes, or are of a non-white European ethnic group).
Key symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Frequent urination
- A thirst that feels unquenchable
Other, less common possible symptoms of diabetes include:
- Unexplained weight loss
- blurred vision
- wounds that are slow to heal
- repeated yeast infections (thrush)
- sexual problems such as low libido and lack of arousal or sensation (read more about erectile dysfunction here).
High levels of blood glucose can cause a number of other problems. Over the long term, type 2 diabetes can damage the heart, eyes, feet, and kidneys. Heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, kidney disease, and miscarriage are all potential risks. If you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it is important to stay regular with your check-ups at the doctor so you can keep an eye on any potential complications.
Turn it Around
The good news is that diabetes can be prevented and, if you already have it, reversed. The three main risk areas for diabetes that you have the power to change our diet, exercise, and high blood pressure. Eating well, being active, and reducing your blood pressure are three ways that can help you to reverse or prevent diabetes.
Diet
In general, a diabetes-friendly diet is rich in vitamins and nutrients, with a good variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Carbohydrate, fat, and sugar intake all need to be carefully monitored.
Foods to avoid:
- White rice, white bread, and white flour: these processed grains can spike your blood sugar due to their low fibre content and how quickly they are digested
- Sugary foods: cookies, sweets, cake, soda, and anything that has a high sugar content will cause blood sugar levels to spike
- Fast food: fast food tends to contain high levels of salt, fat, and calories, and fried foods absorb a lot of hydrogenated oils, which contain trans fats
- Full-fat dairy: due to the saturated fat content
- Processed meats: again, processed meats have a higher fat content than fish, poultry, or their non-processed equivalents
- Processed foods: always check the label on what’s in your grocery shopping, as processed foods usually contain a lot of sugar and fat
- Diet soda: it sounds counterintuitive, but studies have shown that artificial sweeteners can actually promote glucose intolerance and raise blood sugar
Can I eat fruit?
Remember that most fruit contains fruit sugar:
- Avoid bananas and grapes: bananas and grapes contain high levels of carbohydrates, sugar and can lead to a fast rise in blood sugar.
- Avoid fresh fruit juice: fruit juice doesn’t contain the fibre that whole fruits do, which means that the natural sugars are digested very quickly and can thus cause blood sugar spikes. Swap your regular juice for water with a slice of lemon or cucumber in it.
- Dried fruit: when a fruit is dried, its sugar content goes way up! Best to swap the dried fruits for the fresh versions.
- Not shaken, and not stirred: although smoothies are often touted as a healthy start to your day, blending your fruit separates the natural sugars from the fibre, meaning that a smoothie can cause an intense blood sugar spike.
Fresh fruit in a diabetic diet is best-eaten whole. The best fruits are apples, pears, citrus and berries but watch the quantity.
More, please!
Some foods can actually reduce your blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity, such as:
- Avocados
- Fish
- Onions and garlic
- Leafy greens, like spinach, kale, collard greens, chard, and lettuce
- Nuts, but go easy. Two ounces of nuts per day is about right.
- Whole grains like barley, millet, quinoa are a great replacement for bread and rice, although be careful to go easy with your carb intake.
Diabetes-Friendly Lifestyle Changes
Aside from diet, there are some other ways that you can help reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Timing is everything
It’s not just what you eat, but when you eat, that is important. Eating three regular meals per day can lower your blood sugar. Having a good breakfast containing low Glycemic Index foods and protein can help set you up for a good day – research shows that skipping breakfast negatively influences pancreatic cells, leading to blood sugar spikes. A bigger meal earlier in the day, and a smaller dinner is also a great way to support your blood sugar – a meal eaten late in the evening will have a 17% higher effect on your blood sugar than the exact same meal eaten first thing in the morning.
Move it!
Did you know that exercise increases insulin sensitivity and lowers blood sugar? A short workout can have a 24-hour effect on your blood sugar. Start slow and work your way up. Shorter workouts at regular intervals throughout the week will have more benefit than cramming your weekly exercise into a single session. Brisk walking, climbing stairs, or dancing in your living room are all simple ways to get your heart rate up and don’t need gym memberships or special equipment.
Be kind to yourself
It is easy to take on too much, but stress increases blood sugar levels. Anything you can do to reduce stress in your life is going to help keep your blood glucose down. Taking time for yourself, getting plenty of rest, eating and sleeping well, drinking lots of water, doing activities that give you joy, taking deep breaths, spending time in nature, and having things to look forward to all have the potential help to reduce stress levels.
We can help
Having regular check-ups and blood tests is the best way to keep an eye on your fasting blood sugar level, which is the first indicator something might be wrong.
If you are worried about diabetes, are noticing symptoms, or would like to know how to manage and potentially reverse an existing condition, we are here to help. We offer a range of testing including diabetes blood testing, https://walkin-clinic.co.uk/blood-tests/diabetes as well as doctor consultations https://walkin-clinic.co.uk/gp/same-day and broad spectrum health screenings tailored for women https://walkin-clinic.co.uk/city-of-london/womens-health and men. https://walkin-clinic.co.uk/city-of-london/mens-health
The earlier you get diagnosed, the sooner you can begin treatment and monitoring, incorporating some lifestyle changes that can help you to get better, and ultimately, avoiding more serious health problems.
