Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease in which the risk of high blood sugar is higher than normal. Blood sugar – the main type of sugar obtained from food – nourishes the body, but high levels can damage it. If you have type 2 diabetes, the main regulatory force – insulin – is impaired, which leads to high blood sugar levels.
After a formal diagnosis, it will be recommended that you make healthy lifestyle changes to stabilize your blood sugar levels.
There are two main components to controlling blood sugar – diet and exercise.
There is nothing you cannot eat if you have type 2 diabetes, but you will have to limit certain foods.
Certain foods rich in carbohydrates are broken down quickly by the body and therefore have a pronounced effect on blood sugar levels.
They include:
- Some fruits and vegetables
- Wrists
- Whole foods, such as oatmeal.
In addition to improving your diet, you should aim for 2.5 hours of activity per week, reports the NHS.
Physical exercise helps to lower the blood sugar level.
You can be active anywhere, as long as what you’re doing takes your breath away.
This can be:
- Brisk walk
- Going up stairs
- Do housework or gardening harder.