Most people undergo a different development of Type 2 diabetes. Some are afflicted due to the effect of years of poor food choices, and their blood sugar levels start to climb. Others, because of being overweight for some years and not exercising, develop blood sugar and insulin dysglycemia which means they have abnormal glucose metabolism. Family history plays a part as well for many adults too.
Once Type 2 diabetes strikes, however, the effects are undeniably similar between individuals. The symptoms usually are the same as the disease starts to take its toll on the body. While the rate at which complications develop will differ; if the condition is left to exacerbate through its natural course of progression, many adults will suffer from the health issues that accompany it.
Before that happens, an intervention needs to be made. Type 2 diabetes needs to be managed: at the very least blood sugar levels need to be controlled with antidiabetic medications. Which brings us to your options. Of course, you are familiar with lifestyle changes…
- exercise,
- better nutrition, and
- other positive habits.
But what about the easy solutions? The pills and the prescriptions? In truth, sometimes these are necessary. Some situations are more severe than others, and considering how each one of us is in a unique circumstance considering our different health and genetic backgrounds, we should not rule out the possibility you may need to resort to these artificial methods.
These methods may involve insulin injections or oral medications. Insulin comes in different forms, as some types take effect quickly, while others have long-lasting effects. As for oral antidiabetic medications, they work in different ways…
- some, including glimepiride (Amaryl) and chlorpropamide (Diabinese), increase the amount of insulin released by the pancreas and helps the body use insulin more efficiently.
- precose (Acarbose) and miglitol (Glyset) inhibit specific enzyme systems and reduce sugar absorption in the intestines.
- others have a direct effect on insulin resistance, like metformin (Glucophage). Metformin increases the sensitivity of the muscle cells to insulin and reduces the amount of sugar produced in the liver.
While all of these drugs serve the purpose of helping to manage the condition, you must not forget the side effects they may bring. The word drug itself carries a negative connotation for a reason.
As you know, ideally you will look to make lifestyle changes because this is ultimately the best method to control the disease. But, consult with your doctor for the best course of action you should take.
Drugs versus lifestyle changes. It is not a matter of one or the other. You should lean towards sustainable lifestyle changes because these also work to improve your general health. If needed, you can take prescription antidiabetic medications – but not at the cost of neglecting the adjustments you should make to improve your well-being.