Understanding Type 2 Diabetes
To get energy, the body breaks food down into fuel. When a person has diabetes, the body has trouble using the fuel that it takes in. To better understand how to manage your diabetes, learn how the body gets energy.
How the Body Normally Gets Energy
After a meal or snack, digestion breaks down part of the food into a fuel called glucose (a type of sugar). Glucose leaves the digestive tract and enters the bloodstream. This makes the body's blood glucose level (also called blood sugar level) begin to rise.
Glucose Travels to the Cells
Glucose travels to the cells to be burned as fuel. When it arrives, it needs help to get into the cells.
Insulin Unlocks the Cells
Glucose needs insulin to enter the cells. When the blood glucose level rises, the pancreas releases insulin into the blood. Insulin then travels to the cells. There it acts like a key, unlocking the cells so glucose can enter. The cells then have glucose to burn for energy, and the blood sugar level stays steady.
When You Have Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes makes it hard for the body to use glucose. Food is still changed into glucose. The glucose still travels in the bloodstream to the cells. But problems with insulin make it hard for glucose to enter the cells.
Problems With Insulin
Type 2 diabetes occurs because of one or both of the following problems with insulin:
Problems with Glucose
When the cells don't get enough glucose, the body doesn't have the energy it needs. That's why you may feel tired and rundown. With no place to go, glucose builds up in the bloodstream. This causes hyperglycemia (high blood sugar).
Why Manage Diabetes?
Managing diabetes means keeping your blood sugar from getting too high or too low. This helps you feel better from day to day. It can also limit serious health problems later on. Managing your diabetes is the best thing you can do for yourself and the people who care about you.
Limiting Problems
Over time, people with diabetes can develop certain health problems (complications). Problems are more likely to occur if blood sugar is frequently too high. Keeping blood sugar in a healthy range helps prevent or delay problems, or make them less severe. The following are possible complications of diabetes:
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Blood vessel (vascular) disease can lead to circulation problems, heart attack, or stroke.
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Eye problems include damage to blood vessels in the eyes (retinopathy), clouding of the eye's lens (cataracts), and abnormally increased pressure in the eye (glaucoma). These problems can lead to vision changes or blindness.
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Gum problems (periodontal disease) can lead to infections and tooth decay. This can cause problems with eating and chewing.
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High blood pressure (hypertension) makes the heart work harder to pump blood. It can worsen heart disease and lead to stroke.
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Kidney disease (nephropathy) affects the kidneys' ability to clean waste out of the blood. This can lead to kidney failure.
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Nerve problems (neuropathy) can cause pain or loss of feeling in the feet or other parts of the body. It can also affect the body's ability to regulate digestion or blood pressure.
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Sexual problems in men and women can result from nerve and blood vessel damage.