Diabetes Type 2

Type 2 Diabetes is a disease that affects your body’s ability to break down the food you eat and turn it into energy. Food is digested or broken down into different elements that can be used by your body. One of these elements is sugar (also called glucose), which is the main source of energy for the cells that make up your body.

Sugar (glucose) is digested and passes into your blood. It is then carried through your body so it can reach your cells. However, sugar needs a “key” to enter a cell in order to give it energy.

 Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that acts as this “key” that allows sugar to enter your cells and be turned into energy. When the amount of sugar in your blood (called blood sugar level) rises after you eat, your pancreas makes insulin and releases it into your blood. Once your cells absorb the sugar in your blood, your blood sugar level goes, down and your pancreas makes less insulin.

Type 2 Diabetes interferes with your body’s ability to use insulin, the “key” that allows sugar in your cells to be turned into energy. Type 2 Diabetes is called Insulin Resistant instead of Insulin Absence as in Type 1 Diabetes. Tablets that sensitize the body to insulin rather than insulin injections can be an effective first step to controlling Type 2 Diabetes.

Diabetes - Type 2 - Symptoms You May Have
Early symptoms of untreated Type 2 Diabetes are very similar to the symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes and are related to elevated blood sugar levels, and loss of glucose through urine. Early symptoms are:

	Increased thirst and frequent urination - As excess sugar builds up in your bloodstream, fluid is pulled from your tissues. This leaves you thirsty and you may become dehydrated causing you to drink and urinate more than usual.
	Increased hunger - Your muscles and organs become depleted of energy without enough insulin to move sugar into your cells. Without insulin, your body’s cells never receives the sugar in the food you eat.
	Weight Loss - Despite eating more than usual to relieve hunger, you will start to notice weight loss - sometimes rapidly and extreme.
	Fatigue - You may become tired and irritable when your cells are deprived of sugar.
	Blurred vision - If your blood sugar level is too high, fluid is pulled from your tissues including the lenses of your eyes which will affect your ability to focus clearly.
	Frequent infections - You may have infections such as bladder, urinary tract or skin infections.
	Infections that are slow to heal.

Your Doctor can perform tests to determine if you have Diabetes 2 and prescribe a method of treatment best for your individual needs.