Type 2 diabetes, or non-insulin dependent diabetes, is mainly a disease of older people, usually occurring in middle age and upwards. No one knows why some people get this disease and others don’t, but it is known that overweight or obese people are at much higher risk levels. With the increase in childhood obesity, the number of younger people developing this disease has increased dramatically. Thankfully, Type 2 diabetes can be controlled through diet alone for many years before insulin injections will be needed, if caught early enough.

Symptoms of diet controlled diabetes include extreme thirst and frequent urination, dry, itchy skin and several others, though many people will have no symptoms at all. It is caused by the body’s inability to use the insulin produced by the pancreas or the pancreas not having enough insulin producing cells to meet the body’s demand.

Type 2 diabetes can be diagnosed through a simple blood test. This test will measure blood sugar levels after you have fasted for at least 8 hours and is usually done first thing in the morning. Your doctor will assess your symptoms and the results of the blood test to determine if you have diabetes and what type it is.

Type 2 diabetes can be controlled through diet and exercise. Your doctor may advise you to see a dietician to help create a diet that works for you, but these diets will all follow a few simple rules. Low fat foods are imperative; forgo the regular sour cream for the fat free variety, get rid of the white bread and choose whole grain bread. Low fat foods will help your body keep consistent levels of blood sugar. Choosing the right carbs is another thing a dietician will advise you about. Contrary to popular belief, carbohydrates are not evil; they’re necessary for everyone. You need to choose the right carbs, though. Refined, processed sugars are the carbs to avoid; avoid the candy and cookies and choose fresh fruit instead. We should all eat this way, honestly, but diabetics have a more immediate reason for doing so. Eat fresh veggies with little or no sauce; carbs found in “real” food are better for you than what’s found in products containing ingredients you can’t pronounce. How good for you is high fructose corn syrup anyway? You don’t find that in an apple, do you? Or an orange, strawberries or blue berries. Avoiding ingredients like that will provide your body with natural simple and complex sugars that it can more easily adjust to.

Type 2 diabetes can and, in some cases, will, turn into insulin controlled diabetes. A healthy diet containing low fat foods, few or no processed sugars and a moderate exercise program will go a long way towards staving off that needle. No one wants to be forced to inject themselves multiple times per day; take care of yourself and that day can be pretty far off. Doctors recommend retesting every couple of years to determine if your diabetes is changing.

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