Type 2 diabetes is a very common disease, which can limit our quality of life and is usually associated with overweight and obesity. In the following article Dr. Nubiola gives us the keys to early diagnosis and prevention of this disease.
Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes
It is important to make an early diagnosis in people with obesity, women who have been diagnosed with polycystic ovary disease, who have had children who weighed more than 4 kg at birth, or who were found to have “sugar” during pregnancy. The presence of overweight or obesity in people who have high blood pressure, excess cholesterol, triglycerides or uric acid makes it necessary to rule out possible diabetes. A simple blood test is sufficient to establish the diagnosis. If, on the contrary, it is not performed and the diagnosis is delayed, the presence of diabetes can deteriorate our organism irreversibly.
Tips to prevent type 2 diabetes
The basic pillars of treatment consist of healthy lifestyle habits such as regular physical exercise, walking an hour a day is enough, as well as a diet reduced in “sugars” or carbohydrates and richer in fats and proteins. It is not necessary to count calories or go through deprivations that lead to abandonment and discouragement of the patient. The so-called “hypoglycemic diet” would be the most advisable.
In recent years, drugs have appeared for the treatment of diabetes that obtain very good results in terms of glucose control and weight reduction. This avoids in many cases the need for insulin and the practice of glucose controls by finger prick.
Other types of diabetes
Type 1 diabetes usually appears abruptly in young people and children, with symptoms of severe thirst and urination, accompanied by a significant reduction in weight. Treatment in these cases will require self-administration of insulin 4 times a day, with frequent self-monitoring of glucose at home throughout the day.
There are intermediate forms, such as LADA type diabetes, which appear in adulthood but behave like type 1 diabetes, requiring the use of insulin a few months or years after diagnosis.