Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can be treated and managed with healthy eating, physical activity, and taking medications such as insulin to control blood glucose levels.
When you take care of your diabetes, you’ll feel better. You’ll reduce your risk for problems with your kidneys, eyes, nerves, feet and legs, and teeth. You’ll also lower your risk for a heart attack or a stroke. If you have diabetes, your doctor may prescribe medication. However, there are other ways to take care of yourself that will help control your diabetes.
Learning what to eat, how much to eat, and when to eat plays an important role in taking good care of yourself if you have diabetes. Making wise food choices can help keep your blood glucose – also called blood sugar – under control, help you lose weight if you need to, and lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and other problems associated with diabetes.
Until recently, the most common type of diabetes in children and teens was type 1, in which the pancreas does not produce insulin. But increasing numbers of younger people are now getting type 2 diabetes due to soaring rates of obesity. In type 2 diabetes, the body does not make or use insulin well.
We need to start answering questions about diabetes today for a better future tomorrow.
Eda Cengiz, MD, MHS, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (Endocrinology)
Being physically active can help you or your child lower your blood glucose, improve your body’s ability to use insulin, lower your risk for heart disease and stroke, and help you lose weight. Physical activity also plays an important part in preventing type 2 diabetes. Research shows that even modest weight loss of five to seven percent – for example, 10 to 15 pounds for a 200-pound person – can delay and possibly prevent type 2 diabetes.
One way to incorporate physical activity into your lifestyle is by being more active in your daily life. Try walking around while you talk on the phone, parking at the far end of parking lots, or stretching and walking around instead of taking a coffee break and eating. If you think about it, there are lots of small steps you and your family can take to lead a more active life.
Courtesy of NIDDK