I recently finished a series of blog posts called “Transforming Diabetes.” It focused mostly on Type 1 Diabetes and I want to now take some time and talk about Type 2.
Type 2 is a different disease than Type 1. The cause is different. The treatment is different. However, both are diagnosed from a high blood sugar result. When someone finds out that I am Type 1 I will often hear, “Oh, you have the bad one.” Neither are good. And Type 2 can be as bad or worse than Type 1. Whereas, Type 1 is caused by an immune deficiency response resulting in the destruction of the islet cells in the pancreas, Type 2 is caused by a change in the metabolic system functioning resulting in insulin resistance. Type 2’s are experiencing high blood sugar because their insulin is not working as well or their body is resisting the insulin that is produced. Type 2 has traditionally been diagnosed in adults over the age of 50. More and more we are seeing younger people developing Type 2 Diabetes. This is a result of the diet and lifestyle our culture has been engaged in for the last few decades.
The treatment for Type 2 is weight loss, exercise, low carb/fat diet, testing blood sugar and sometimes medication that increases the insulin efficiency or reduces the the insulin resistance. The treatment is not as difficult of a balancing act as Type 1 but it requires hard work. Most Type 2’s are over weight. So, the first order of business is to transform the body and get it into shape. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Type 2’s are unwilling to do this. They have established a certain way of being and eating and to make a change is like turning a cruise ship around. There is a lot of resistance. Nevertheless, upon diagnosis of Type 2 I have seen several people effectively cure themselves by changing their approach to working out and their diet. The “dis-ease” goes away and every facet of life becomes better. In my opinion, this is the key to both Type 1 and Type 2. It is all about the workout.
If I was diagnosed with Type 2 the first thing I would do is make my workouts the priority. And I don’t mean a casual 1 mile walk. I am talking about pushing it to your edge and expanding that. Start by walking 1 mile if you have to. Time your walk. Do it every day. Try to beat your time each day. Expand your walk to 2, 3,4 , 5 miles. Walk hard. Get to the point where you are jogging if your legs are capable of that. Go to the gym or get weights. You must build your strength. The workout is the first and most important step in dealing with your condition. If you are unable to exercise because of a physical condition then read on. You may be able to pick up a few things that may assist you. If you are unwilling to workout then stop reading this post. I can be of no help. Continue reading Type 2
