By Beverleigh H Piepers

In Type 2 diabetes the usual indication for the administration of injectable insulin is glucose or blood sugar control in those people who are not responsive to oral anti-diabetic medications, as stated by Medline Plus. Insulin is a hormone which facilitates the transfer of sugar into individual body cells enabling glucose to be converted into usable energy.

In Type 2 diabetes there is resistance to insulin in the bloodstream reacting to the receptor sites on cell's surfaces, therefore preventing the receptors designed to absorb glucose from reacting as they are meant to. More and more insulin is produced in an attempt to get the cells to allow sugar to enter. Eventually there is decreased insulin produced by the pancreas necessitating the use of external insulin sources. Insulin administration prevents sudden increases in blood sugar levels. And with more consistent control, acute and long-term complications of high blood sugar can be prevented. According to Medline Plus, insulin therapy by itself is not a cure for Type 2 diabetes. It is only used to give much tighter blood sugar control.

However, in several recent studies, insulin therapy begins to change the face of management of Type 2. It is now known that insulin therapy given early in the course of the disease can help improve remission in people suffering from this metabolic problem. In a study published in May 2008 by Lancet, it was shown that intensive insulin therapy in newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetics results in:

* better function of their beta cells, the producers of insulin in the pancreas, and
* better blood sugar control

resulting in the recovery of the person diagnosed with diabetes. In this study, 382 diabetics with ages ranging from twenty-five to seventy years old and with a blood sugar value ranging from 126 to 300 mg/dL (7 to 16.7mmmol/L) were recruited and randomly assigned either insulin administration or oral anti-diabetic medications. The anti-diabetic medications were stopped after normal blood sugar levels were achieved. These diabetics were then placed on lifestyle modifications consisting of regular physical exercise and diet.

Blood sugar levels were taken and recorded before and after the observational period of one year. After one year, the researchers noted the Type 2 diabetics who received insulin therapy had a better recovery rate compared to those who took the oral anti-diabetic medication. Thus, they concluded early intensive insulin therapy in newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetics have a higher chance of remission compared to those taking oral anti-diabetic medications.

The management of diabetes has been constantly evolving, especially during the last few years, With continued research and experimentation, the treatment for this metabolic problem just keeps improving. Sooner or later Type 2 diabetes management will not only be focused on blood sugar control. It is looking like In the future, there will be a real cure.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

For most people, Type 2 diabetes hits them because they have been living an unhealthy lifestyle including obesity, low-fiber diets and sedentary behavior. But new research is finding that there's more to the story, at least in certain people.

Everyone knows that obesity is tightly correlated to the Type 2 diabetes risk. But what most people don't know is where that fat actually hangs out makes a huge difference in your diabetes risk and blood sugar levels.

And while it may be too late for you to undo that diabetes diagnosis, being proactive about this particular Type 2 diabetes contributor can help you manage your blood sugars better than following the same old tired treatments like prescription drugs.

In general, the fat around your midsection tends to promote insulin resistance more than fat in your arms or legs. Scientists at the German Institute for Nutritional Research in Potsdam-Rehbrücke found that how much fat you have in your belly predicts your diabetes risk much more than the tried-and-true body mass index or BMI.

Why? The fat in your belly cranks out pro-inflammatory cells like there's no tomorrow. These cells get in the way of insulin's action, shooting blood sugar levels though the roof. Importantly, belly fat also ups your risk of heart disease and dementia... two more reasons to trim down your belly fat.

A large belly is considered dangerous if your waist measurement is over 40 inches (101 cms) for a man and more than 35 inches (89 cm) for a woman.

Here's how to turn on your body's belly fat burning machinery:

Healthy Fats: Healthy fats don't make you fat. However, "bad" saturated and trans fats do. When they're not clogging arteries, they're rushing to your midsection to become is latest tenant. A study in "Topics in Clinical Nutrition" found that women who ate high amounts of saturated fat tended to have large waists.

Become a Low-GI Joe: When you eat a rapidly digesting high-GI food, blood sugar shoots up like a NASA rocket. Your body cranks out massive amounts of insulin to get that blood sugar back under control. Unfortunately, this insulin spike also promotes belly fat storage.

Pump Iron: Resistance training increases the amount of muscle you have on board... which burns belly fat throughout the day. Lifting weights also reduces insulin resistance, something that will improve your blood sugar management and reduce your belly fat.

It is also found Type 2 diabetics who combine aerobic exercise and resistance training have improved blood sugar levels compared with diabetics who do not exercise.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Learning to live with the physical and emotional aspects of Type 2 diabetes is difficult enough without having to deal with the financial aspects of it and how it can impact your wallet. While even perfectly controlled diabetes costs money, you can anticipate and manage many treatment costs to some extent. For people who have been diagnosed with this disease it is important to know what is available and the challenges that might lie ahead.

Since Type 2 diabetes is typically considered a self-managed disease many of the factors associated with it are in the hands of the individual. When diabetic supplies such as test strips, lancets, insulin, meters, etc., are needed, these may, or may not, be covered under standard insurance plans. Since these are vital components of the treatment process it is important to know how to acquire them.

Shopping around will save you money on items you must purchase out of your own pocket as costs vary from pharmacy to pharmacy, and some items are available online. You will find rebates are often offered on glucose testing meters, and a few meters are almost free.

There will be occasions when diabetes medications, including insulin, might not be covered under a general insurance plan. Since all insurance plans are different it is up to you to determine what is covered and what isn't. In the instance where there is no coverage, there may be other options available. If you are a regular customer who purchases several medications, you may be able to negotiate discounts with your pharmacy on medications and diabetic supplies. Also you could do some "price shopping" and then present evidence of the lowest prices you can find, asking your pharmacist if he is prepared to match these prices.

Medicare is a source for diabetes supplies. They will typically require the diabetic to attend a Type 2 diabetes education program before coverage will begin, but it is useful information that will assist in the day-to-day aspects of diabetes. It is always a good idea to have your doctor involved when working with Medicare, as Medicare often requires special documentation.

For those people who are over 65, Medicare offers a wide variety of supplies. Some limitations are imposed, but if the individual works with their doctor they can have the recommended amount of diabetes equipment prescribed to ensure coverage. There is also coverage available through the Social Security Administration.

There are also programs for what are classified as "high risk pools". This is coverage for those who might be considered "uninsurable" due to any number of reasons. The coverage is similar to that which is offered by private insurers, but often carries higher deductibles or limited coverage to justify the risk by the company.

If someone loses his or her job there is often the opportunity to continue their health coverage through a COBRA plan. This might only be available for a specific time, but it will allow the diabetic to continue receiving treatment.

Often people simply do not have the financial means to care for their disease. When this occurs there are organizations that are in place that can assist with supplies, and sometimes even basic office visits.

Checking with the County Health Department is another option, as they will sometimes offer insulin for specific groups of individuals who qualify. Your doctor may also have other recommendations.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Type 2 diabetes is becoming more and more of a problem in our society. With the seriousness of this condition it is important to know what you are looking for to be able to make an accurate diagnosis. Since it generally takes years for the symptoms to be accurately identified it is imperative that individuals stay informed.

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by two factors; abnormally high blood sugar levels, either before breakfast or after eating, and abnormally high levels of insulin. In pre-diabetes, blood sugar or insulin levels, or both, have begun to creep up.

When looking over a list of early warning signs some of them can be easily confused with other conditions, which is why many people who are in the beginning stages of the disease are not necessarily in denial, but in confusion. They take their symptoms and inaccurately apply them to something else. Since this disease can progress into more serious conditions if left untreated, it puts even more emphasis on correctly spotting what these signs mean.

However, denial does play a part in this, too. We do not like to accept that something may be wrong with our health, but in this case Type 2 diabetes is a condition that not only will refuse to go away but also will become progressively worse over time. This will lead to further complications than if the diagnosis were determined early. In fact, early diagnosis for example in the pre-diabetic stage, gives you the easiest and most likely outcome of reversing the disease.

Some of the early symptoms include fatigue and headaches, which most people will typically place in the same category, since not getting enough restful sleep can result in headaches and feeling run down. Increased thirst and dry mouth can also be possibly associated with an increase in salt intake, a hot, dry time of the year or feeling as if the individual is not consuming enough water.

Even something as telltale as blurred vision can be considered a natural aspect of aging if the sufferer is getting into middle age. This is typically when the eyes start requiring the assistance of glasses, anyway.

But the dangerous signs that should really be focused on more are:

* frequent urination
* unexplained weight loss, and
* increased hunger, especially when it occurs right after eating.

Putting an increased feeling of hunger with weight loss is a definite red flag, especially since the body's metabolism starts slowing down as we age.

But the list can continue from there. Numbness and a tingling feeling in the hands and feet, itching of the skin around the groin area, and wounds and cuts that are slow to heal are also signs. Symptoms can even be gender specific. Women can experience frequent yeast infections while men can be hit with impotency.

This list is even more important to keep in mind if there is a history of the disease in your family. When a parent develops the disease it puts their children at an increased risk also. If both parents develop it, the likelihood increases even further.

Knowing the early signs of Type 2 diabetes is important not just from a diagnosis standpoint, but to prevent further damage to the body form residual complications. If any of these symptoms start to appear, don't hesitate to check with your doctor immediately.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Consuming a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables and lean meat are the optimal approach to maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. But sometimes Type 2 diabetics do not get the recommended daily allowance of what they need. Whether in the foods they eat, or through supplements, there are some key vitamins and minerals that should be consumed to help ward off the side effects of Type 2 diabetes.

Magnesium is an important place to start since it helps in the digestion of sugar, fat and starches. This, of course, helps to maintain blood sugar levels. When diabetics consume too many refined carbohydrates, magnesium is given since it is required in the secretion of insulin. It also produces stomach acid and digestive enzymes, both of which are crucial for diabetics, and helps to ensure that energy is present in muscle cells.

Manganese plays an important role in metabolizing protein and fat while it also produces energy for the body's needs. But aside from that it is essential for the proper absorption of vitamins such as E, C and B, which are, in themselves, important.

Vitamin E is one of the most important elements for a diabetic since it prevents damage to the vascular system; mainly arterial degeneration. Besides it's role of protecting the heart, it appears to directly improve insulin sensitivity.

Vitamin C is widely used to regulate glucose tolerance in diabetics, helps to reduce the amount of protein that is lost from urination and lowers levels of the sugar, sorbitol. This is important, in and of itself, since the accumulation of sorbitol damages different parts of the body, predominantly the kidneys and the eyes. Besides all that, Vitamin C is believed to reduce glycosylation. This occurs when increased amounts of glucose (sugar) are allowed to bond to red blood cells, which causes a series of further complications.

Even Vitamin D has its own place in the life of a diabetic. It appears to maintain adequate levels of insulin in the blood, as it has been observed that a deficiency of Vitamin D weakens the secretion of insulin.

Vanadium is another excellent regulator of blood sugar and sends sugar to your muscles, where it's needed. It's widely known in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes not only for its ability to enhance the effects of insulin, but to also act like it. Low levels of this particular mineral have also been associated with high cholesterol.

Another mineral that helps regulate glucose levels is Chromium. Deficiency in this mineral can lead to intolerance in sugar. Chromium doesn't help the body make more insulin; it helps insulin work better. Biotin also improves insulin sensitivity.

Vitamin B12 not only helps to fuel the body, but it assists in the normal function of nerve cells.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Consuming a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables and lean meat are the optimal approach to maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. But sometimes Type 2 diabetics do not get the recommended daily allowance of what they need. Whether in the foods they eat, or through supplements, there are some key vitamins and minerals that should be consumed to help ward off the side effects of Type 2 diabetes.

Magnesium is an important place to start since it helps in the digestion of sugar, fat and starches. This, of course, helps to maintain blood sugar levels. When diabetics consume too many refined carbohydrates, magnesium is given since it is required in the secretion of insulin. It also produces stomach acid and digestive enzymes, both of which are crucial for diabetics, and helps to ensure that energy is present in muscle cells.

Manganese plays an important role in metabolizing protein and fat while it also produces energy for the body's needs. But aside from that it is essential for the proper absorption of vitamins such as E, C and B, which are, in themselves, important.

Vitamin E is one of the most important elements for a diabetic since it prevents damage to the vascular system; mainly arterial degeneration. Besides it's role of protecting the heart, it appears to directly improve insulin sensitivity.

Vitamin C is widely used to regulate glucose tolerance in diabetics, helps to reduce the amount of protein that is lost from urination and lowers levels of the sugar, sorbitol. This is important, in and of itself, since the accumulation of sorbitol damages different parts of the body, predominantly the kidneys and the eyes. Besides all that, Vitamin C is believed to reduce glycosylation. This occurs when increased amounts of glucose (sugar) are allowed to bond to red blood cells, which causes a series of further complications.

Even Vitamin D has its own place in the life of a diabetic. It appears to maintain adequate levels of insulin in the blood, as it has been observed that a deficiency of Vitamin D weakens the secretion of insulin.

Vanadium is another excellent regulator of blood sugar and sends sugar to your muscles, where it's needed. It's widely known in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes not only for its ability to enhance the effects of insulin, but to also act like it. Low levels of this particular mineral have also been associated with high cholesterol.

Another mineral that helps regulate glucose levels is Chromium. Deficiency in this mineral can lead to intolerance in sugar. Chromium doesn't help the body make more insulin; it helps insulin work better. Biotin also improves insulin sensitivity.

Vitamin B12 not only helps to fuel the body, but it assists in the normal function of nerve cells.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Maybe it's the lab coat. Many Type 2 diabetics look up to their family doctor or endocrinologist as some sort of diabetes oracle. Sure, they're a more reliable source of information than what you'll find in a typical Google search. However, that doesn't mean what they say it completely accurate or reliable.

Believe it or not, but many doctors aren't trained in nutrition. That's why it's a wise idea to seek out a registered dietitian or nurse that specializes in diabetic eating.

Here are diabetes myths that many doctors tell their patients everyday and are flat-out not true.

Myth #1: Stop Eating Sugar and Managing Diabetes is Easy

To doctors that treat diabetics, the "S-word" is sugar. They claim that tossing out sugar from your diet is enough to keep blood sugar under wraps. If only it was that easy.

Sure, you'd be hard pressed to find a reputable diabetes educator allowing lots of refined sugar into your diet. However, focusing on sugar while ignoring other important aspects of a diabetic diet isn't going to cut it.

It's important to take a holistic view of your disease that touches on all aspects of diet and health: carbs, protein, fat, stress, and exercise.

Myth #2: Diabetes is a Life Sentence

Like heart disease, diabetes is considered a "chronic" disease simply because when it hits you, it doesn't seem to go away. However, that doesn't mean that it won't go away with the right approach. Many studies have found that dramatically overhauling your lifestyle can actually reverse Type 2 diabetes.

But to do so, it's not enough to tweak your current diet and exercise now and again. It requires a massive lifetime commitment to health and wellness. Hard? Yes. Worth it? Most definitely.

Myth #3: Losing Weight is Optional

Many physicians tell their patients, "stop eating sugar, cut out white bread... and oh yeah, try to lose some weight." Losing weight... the most important part of managing diabetes... is an afterthought of most Type 2 diabetes treatments.

It's nearly impossible to have healthy blood sugar levels if you're overweight. And it's most certainly impossible to cure Type 2 diabetes if you're obese. More than worrying about carbs or blood sugar levels, lose the belly fat and watch Type 2 diabetes manage itself.

Myth #4: Take This Pill and Feel Better

Diabetes medications can help you manage your blood sugar levels while you transition to a healthier lifestyle. However, most doctors perceive medications to be the end all be all of diabetes treatments. Medications are simply a crutch that treat the symptoms while ignoring the actual cause of your diabetes... lifestyle.

When given a prescription by your doctor, ask some hard questions. "Is this absolutely necessary for me to take". Or perhaps, "Is there a natural treatment that's just as effective". The science clearly states that losing weight, exercising more and adopting a healthy diet blows away medications in terms of effectiveness.

By Jenny H Jordan

If a diabetic coma sounds serious, it is! But, I can reassure you that if you can learn about it, coma symptoms can most assuredly can be handled well on what it is, and what signs to look for. The symptoms can also occur in a person who's yet to be diagnosed as a person with diabetes, or for those who have not been able to get their symptoms under control. It can also occur if a person has another illness, disease, or a person who is taking a medication, which increases fluid loss, and then your diabetic blood glucose level should be checked out.

Kidneys usually allow excess glucose leave the body when it is higher than normal. If you take in non-diet sodas or such, or too little liquid, then the kidneys can't get rid of the extra. You may experience unconsciousness & the risk of diabetic coma gets worse. The sugar level in your blood can rise a lot. Your blood becomes concentrated. Of course, if signs are reversed, then you'll gain consciousness. Components such as salt, glucose and other items that would normally make water go into your blood, water is drawn from your organs and your brain and blood glucose levels rise and you become dehydrated.

Conditions or signals that can bring on a diabetic coma, include:

* Stroke
* A heart attack
* Infection
* Surgical procedures
* A congested heart
* Being older
* Weak management of diabetic plan
* Stopping medication, which was used to help lower your blood sugar levels.

When a person goes into a diabetic coma, they could start to twitch or have convulsions. If they are unconscious, they may appear pale, be soaked in perspiration, or have a rapid heartbeat. These are signals of adrenaline responding to hypoglycemia. People are not usually dried out and their breathing may either be normal, or shallow. Blood glucose levels may have gone up when it's tested, from what it was at the time the person fell into unconsciousness.

A diabetic coma prognosis can either be severe or mild, but it may be reversed. When it occurs it is an emergency, which has to be dealt with right away. It's often a combo of severe hypoglycemia, & people with diabetes should be aware of approaching changes.

If you have diabetes or even pre diabetes, then do tell yourself about on all of the early warning signs for various conditions associated with it, like diabetic coma. When you are made aware of what to look for you'll then have tactics to put into place. In addition also wear a diabetic bracelet to ensure medics can ID you and will act accordingly.

By Sarfraz Zaidi

Stress-Diabetes Connection- Is there any and what is the mechanism?

While there are several factors that contribute to the development of diabetes, stress is an important one.

This is how:

Type 2 Diabetes:

About 95% of diabetics suffer from Type 2 diabetes, which occurs due to a process in the body called insulin resistance. Stress is a major cause for insulin resistance. Obesity is another important culprit for insulin resistance. Stress Eating is the main underlying cause for obesity. In this way, stress significantly contributes to a person's obesity and risk for developing diabetes.

Insulin resistance is a process in the body which causes insulin, a chemical in your body, to be less effective in keeping your blood sugar normal. Consequently, your body produces more insulin in order to keep your blood sugar normal. This compensatory increase in the amount of insulin may control your blood sugar for a while, but it's harmful for the rest of the body. Large amounts of insulin can raise your blood pressure and increase your risk for cancer. Insulin resistance also increases your risk for heart attacks and strokes.

After many years of escalating insulin resistance, eventually your insulin producing cells in the pancreas get exhausted and cannot churn out the huge amounts of insulin. At this point, your blood sugar starts to rise and you end up being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes:

Type I diabetes is the other type of diabetes. It is much less common, accounting for about 5% of diabetics. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which your dysfunctional immune system starts to attack and kill your own insulin producing cells. Eventually your pancreas is unable to produce any insulin and you become diabetic.

Stress negatively influences immune system and plays a major role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases.

Stress Worsens Diabetes.

Many diabetics know that their blood glucose gets elevated when they are under stress, even though their eating habits didn't change at all. They also know that with the release of stress, their elevated blood glucose comes down.

Over the years, I have seen many such examples. I vividly remember one particular case.

The gentleman was a highly successful businessman who was struggling to keep his blood glucose levels down. Then he went on a vacation to his native homeland in a rural setting. When he came back from vacation, he came to see me. "Doc, you've been telling me about the effects of stress on diabetes. You are absolutely right. During my vacation, my blood glucose readings were perfect for the first time. Now that I'm back at work, my blood glucose levels are going up again." He was genuinely excited to see for himself the strong relationship between stress and high blood glucose levels.

Even subtle stress can elevate your blood glucose levels. For example, some diabetics get so preoccupied by their blood glucose readings that they stress themselves out. As a result, their blood glucose reading starts to escalate. Then they get more stressed out and a vicious cycle sets in.

I remember one lady who was always preoccupied with her blood glucose readings. During one visit, I told her to stop checking her blood glucose. Two months later, her diabetes was under better control, as evidenced by her blood test report from the laboratory. She was completely amazed.

These examples clearly demonstrate the negative impact of stress on diabetes.

By Beverleigh H Piepers

Anyone familiar with diabetes knows the importance of keeping blood sugar at a moderate level. Dipping too low and diabetics, usually Type 1 diabetics, risk going into hypoglycemia. For the people with diabetes who are more at risk of having high blood sugars or hyperglycemia, which is most people with Type 2 diabetes, smart snacking would include higher fiber, lower glycemic index ingredients.

Coming up with the perfect filler is a little tricky. Foods rich in soluble fiber make for great snacks because soluble fiber leaves your stomach slowly encouraging better blood sugar levels and also helps your feel satisfied for longer. Plus, you don't want to overdo it with fat, which is not good for its own host of reasons. There are healthy ways to achieve this and get what you need in a snack without causing more problems.

Snacks can be broken down into two categories: those "on the go" and those that can be prepared while at home. The main difference here is the need for refrigeration.

"On the Go" snacks:

Celery with a glob of peanut butter is an excellent choice, or why not have a piece of fruit such as:

* apples
* pears, or even
* berries

If the main problem is transporting, a small plastic container would suffice.

Different types of nuts are good, as long as they are eaten in moderation. Many types of nuts are loaded with fat so keep this in mind. Another good choice would be jerky. Some are healthier than others so be sure to check the fat content.

Home Snacks:

This list is much broader for obvious reasons. And the great thing about this group is that an individual can be as creative as they wish.

A good choice could include:

* fruits such as berries mixed with plain or light yogurt. The presence of yogurt gives it protein, plus it will help curb the sensation for something sweet, or
* the fruit could be blended into a smoothie or enjoyed with a whole grain low-sugar cereal

There are many simple one-ingredient choices, too. From cheese, to eggs to carrots: these are simple and quick to grab. For something with a little more substance, oats and oat bran in the form of a low-sugar oat or oat bran muffin, or even low-sugar oat breakfast cereal.

Further choices could include:

* peas and beans which would include canned vegetarian or fat-free refried beans
* green salad with canned kidney beans added
* three-bean salad made with a light vinaigrette salad dressing

Having it on hand will eliminate the desire to hit the drive-thru for something processed and coated with skin, fat, breading and oils. Again, diabetes is not the only concern here... so is your heart.

For salad lovers there are various types that can be easily thrown together. Some can involve protein-packed ingredients such as hummus or small chunks of cheese to fill the protein need. Also, adding other plant foods will contribute some fat and/or protein into your snacks, foods such as nuts, soy food, olive oil, and avocado. These will also help minimize high blood sugars which result from traditionally high-carbohydrate snacks.

And, of course, the "on the go" snacks can always be utilized at home, too, so it's whatever you want at the time. Keeping a good assorted supply on hand will mean taking care of your snacking needs efficiently and effectively.

By Robert S. Nelson

You may not always be able to detect some of the warning signs associated with having diabetes. It is not unusual for someone to have diabetes for a long period of time without ever noticing any symptoms. Some people, on the other hand, do notice the warning signs associated with having diabetes but they don't pay any attention to them because they are so minor.

It may be hard to believe that many of the symptoms linked to diabetes can be ignored but that is the case with 7 million Americans who have diabetes without even realizing it. The earlier you find out you have diabetes the sooner you can take action to prevent some of the serious consequences associated with this disease.

Below you will find some of the diabetes symptoms that you need to be aware of:

Frequent trips to the bathroom to urinate:

The kidneys try to absorb all of the excess sugar that is flowing through the bloodstream, but when it can't it excretes it into the urine. Since the extra glucose is being flushed out of your system you need to visit the bathroom more often.

Always thirsty:

This is a result of having more frequent urination. As the body tries to rid itself of glucose more urine is expelled and you become dehydrated. Naturally, this will lead you to drink more often which also leads to more urination.

Constantly hungry:

The cells of your organs need nourishment in order to function properly and this nourishment is in the form of glucose. Your cells do not get the nutrients they need if there is a lack of insulin so it tells the brain that it wants more food.

Unexplained weight loss:

Even though they may be eating more food as mentioned above, diabetics tend to lose weight. Since their insulin production has been compromised the glucose is never absorbed by the body and is excreted.

Furthermore, the body is very adaptable and when it can't get the energy it needs from glucose it gets it from another source instead. Your body starts breaking down stored fat in addition to muscle.

Always tired:

Fatigue is brought about because your body is not functioning at normal energy levels due to lack of nourishment. Obviously the reason the body is not getting energy is because of the insulin problem. Glucose is the food of choice for your body as it supplies energy more readily than fat and muscle.

Type 2 diabetes sufferers also need to look out for these additional signs. These additional symptoms can be bladder, skin or gum infections, slow to heal cuts or bruises, blurred vision plus hand and feet numbness.

Get yourself checked out! An early diagnoses and following a prescribed treatment plan will go a long way to improving your quality of life. Make a doctor's appointment and get yourself checked out if you feel you may have any of these symptoms.

Do not ignore the signs pointing to having diabetes or take them lightly. Serious, even life-threatening complications can ensue if your diabetes is not treated.