You recently received a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. Your doctor or nurse might have spent some time talking about what you need to do, but it’s almost impossible to take all that information on board while you’re still reeling from the shock of discovering that you have a serious health condition. Need a recap? You’ll find the information you need right here.

Managing Type 2 diabetes isn’t as hard as it sounds - and it pays to make the effort. You can still enjoy a full life blessed with good health as long as you understand your condition and take steps to keep it under control. Now, without further ado, let’s get down to the specifics of how to manage Type 2 diabetes.

Understanding Type 2 Diabetes

When you have Type 2 diabetes, your body has developed resistance to insulin, a chemical messenger your pancreas produces when blood sugar levels rise. Insulin tells the cells in your body to take in sugar from your bloodstream and use it as a source of energy or store it as fat. But if you become insulin resistant, your body has to make much more insulin to get the message across, and your pancreas simply can’t keep up with the amount of insulin it has to produce.

High levels of sugar in your bloodstream can cause a great deal of damage to your body over time. Poorly controlled diabetes can cause permanent damage to your nerves, blood vessels, kidneys, and even your eyes. Left unmanaged, or poorly managed, you may develop health complications that can cause a great deal of suffering and shorten your life.

The good news is that when you’re careful about the management of Type 2 diabetes, you can remain healthy, and you may even be able to help your body to improve its response to insulin. Diabetes can’t be cured, but you can live a relatively normal life free from the worst complications that diabetes can cause. It all comes down to “management.” Here's what you need to do.

Manage Your Weight

If you’re overweight or obese, shedding some of that excess fat stored around your organs can help to restore some of your body’s sensitivity to insulin. In fact, weight loss can be so effective in managing Type 2 diabetes that you might even be able to come off your medication.

Check your BMI to get an idea of how much weight you need to lose. You can also use your waist size as a guideline. For women, it should be less than 80 cm on average, and for men, less than 94 cm.

It will be important to ensure that your diet is nutritionally complete but low in calories.

So, during your weight loss journey, you’re likely to get into the habit of eating healthier food - something your whole body will thank you for!

There’s no specific diet you should follow, but there are some broad guidelines that can help. You should eat lots of vegetables, rely on a protein source other than red meat, and get energy from whole grain starch like brown rice or whole grain bread. To lose weight, you need a calorie deficit, so you might need to check your portion sizes until you develop a feel for this. If you’d like detailed guidance on your diet, consult your doctor or visit a dietician.

Get Active

Don’t worry you don’t have to become an extreme athlete! Physical exercise burns up some of the sugar in your bloodstream, makes your body more sensitive to insulin, and helps you to reach and maintain a healthy weight.

You should aim for around 150 minutes moderate intensity activity a week. You can start gently and work your way up. Find an activity that you enjoy, identify a little window in your daily schedule, and make it a habit. You can even multitask. For example, an exercise bike in front of the TV means you can get your daily workout while watching your favourite shows.

Quit Smoking and Manage Stress

If you’re a smoker, Type 2 diabetes is a wakeup call that tells you it's time to quit. Smokers are known to be 30 to 40 percent more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than non-smokers, and smokers with diabetes often have greater difficulty in controlling their blood sugar levels. If you find it difficult to stop smoking, chat to your doctor. There are several medications that can make quitting easier.

Stress doesn’t cause Type 2 diabetes, but it’s a risk factor. Experts believe that high levels of the hormones your body produces when you’re experiencing stress can inhibit your body’s natural insulin production. Just adding exercise to your daily routine can help you to reduce your stress levels, but do make time for yourself to relax and do things you enjoy. Get enough sleep. Spend time with people who are important to you, and consider taking up an enjoyable hobby.

Take Your Medication regularly And See Your Doctor if You Notice Changes

If you're newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, you may not need to use insulin. Your doctor may prescribe a medication that heightens your body’s sensitivity to the insulin it already produces instead. If you’ve been told to test your blood sugar regularly at home, do so. You may also find it interesting to see how different foods affect your blood sugar level and how exercise helps to bring it down.

Over time, your need for medication may change. You may start needing insulin, for example. On the other hand, switching to a healthier lifestyle can improve your response to your body’s own insulin and you may be able to cut out meds - but never make changes without consulting your doctor first.  

Diabetes and Your Future

After the initial shock of hearing that you have Type 2 diabetes, you’ll have been wondering about your future. Rest assured, knowing how to manage Type 2 diabetes and going ahead with those lifestyle changes will make a big difference.

You can limit the very serious damage that out-of-control diabetes can cause by implementing good Type 2 diabetes management. But there are extra benefits too. All that healthy food and exercise will leave you feeling energised. You’ll feel better than you have for years. The sooner you start, the better!

At the same time, you may have considered what would happen to your family if you weren’t there for them any longer. It’s always good to have your financial affairs in order and to have contingency plans. After all, the only certain thing about the future is that it’s uncertain, no matter how healthy you may be.

If, for whatever reason, you were to pass away, a life insurance policy can help your family to get by financially. There’s just one problem: it can take ages to get approval after you’ve been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. It can literally take months!

Just proving that you’re still in relatively good health will mean doctors’ visits, and opening your medical history to scrutiny - and then the underwriters take simply ages churning through all that information. Why not do it the easy way?

Easy, Cost-Effective Life Insurance Despite Diabetes? Here’s How

At Bluezone, we’re different. Our team of medical and insurance professionals specialises in providing life insurance for people who are living with Type 2 diabetes. Best of all, you don’t have to budge from your living room in order to apply. Sounds great? It’s going to be! Start your application today and watch us spring into action. All you need is 10 minutes to tell us about yourself.

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Reviewed by Dr. Kingshuk Pal