Blueberry Life

Whether you or someone close to you has discovered that they have Type 2 diabetes, understanding the condition will be important to you. A diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes comes as a shock, and many of the questions you may have will only occur to you long after you leave your doctor’s office.

In this guide, we’ll discuss everything you need to know, from what Type 2 diabetes is, to how Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed and how to manage it so that you can enjoy a longer, healthier life.

What is Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes occurs when your blood sugar levels rise because your body’s sensitivity to insulin decreases or your body becomes unable to produce enough insulin. Insulin prompts the cells in your body to use or store the extra sugar. High blood sugar can damage your circulatory system and your nervous system, leading to diabetes complications that are unpleasant, and if the condition is not well managed, it will shorten your life expectancy.

What’s the Difference Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes?

In Type 1 diabetes, the body is not able to make insulin, and patients are generally diagnosed when they are much younger. This contrasts with Type 2 diabetes which is associated with reduced insulin sensitivity and typically develops later in life with most patients being diagnosed after the age of 45.

How is Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosed?

In general, a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis occurs when people visit their doctors because their symptoms are causing discomfort or during routine health checks. Quite often, the first step in how diabetes Type 2 is diagnosed is a straightforward urine test. It’s not enough to conclusively diagnose diabetes, but it tells doctors whether they need to recommend further tests.

A diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes in the UK is most often confirmed through a blood test that checks your levels of glycated haemoglobin. Unlike other tests, it allows medical professionals to see what your blood sugar levels have been like over a period of time instead of just checking your current blood sugar level. This test is accurate and highly sensitive, so false positives are rare. However, doctors may ask you to take an additional blood test just to be absolutely sure.

Type 2 Diabetes and Genetics

While lifestyle factors have a big role to play in Type 2 diabetes, you are more likely to get it if somebody in your immediate family has the condition. If several of your family members have it, your risk is much higher. That doesn’t mean you're sure to develop Type 2 diabetes - but it does mean that you need to be more careful with your health.

While you can’t change your genetic makeup, you have control over lifestyle-related factors like your weight, your diet, and the amount of exercise you get. If you can address these additional risk factors, your genetic predisposition for Type 2 diabetes may not affect you at all. If you already have a diagnosis, opting for a healthier lifestyle will help you to manage it better.
Read more about the role of genetics in Type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes Life Expectancy

Your overall life expectancy is affected by many factors. On average, people over 50 who have a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes can have a reduction in life expectancy of six years.

However, good diabetes management can help you to beat the odds and you don’t have to be “average.”

There are people out there who received a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes seven or eight decades ago and who are still going strong. Knowing your enemy and taking steps to prevent or mitigate the damage diabetes can do to your body makes the difference!

It’s even possible that choosing a healthier lifestyle after your diagnosis can help you to live longer than you otherwise would have - even without a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis. After all, things like being overweight, eating a poor diet, smoking, and being inactive, all risk factors in Type 2 diabetes, are also risk factors for a range of other health conditions. You might just nip them in the bud!
Read more about Type 2 diabetes and life expectancy.

What Causes Type 2 Diabetes? Risk Factors

We know that Type 2 diabetes is caused by reduced sensitivity to insulin and sometimes, reduced production of insulin, but what conditions indicate that we may be at high risk of developing this condition?

If you’ve already been diagnosed with prediabetes, are overweight, are over 45 years old, have a family history of Type 2 diabetes, and are inclined to be sedentary in your habits, you are potentially at risk. Mothers who have experienced gestational diabetes or have given birth to large babies also have a greater chance of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Is Type 2 Diabetes a Disability According to UK Laws?

If you are using medication for Type 2 diabetes, your rights are protected by law. Employment anti-discrimination and equality laws ensure that nobody can discriminate against you based on your condition - as long as you have the ability to do your job.

Your rights include time off for visits to the doctor, for example, and your employer may not disadvantage you based on your health status alone. If your diabetes complications are so bad that you are unable to work, you are eligible for disability benefits and if you require help from a carer, there may be additional benefits to claim.
Read more about whether Type 2 diabetes is classified as a disability and if you can claim benefits.

Type 2 Diabetes Management

Managing your diabetes well reduces your chances of developing diabetes complications and makes it possible to live a healthy and fulfilling life for longer. Here’s what you need to know.

Follow Doctors’ Advice

The first, and most important way to manage diabetes is to stick with your treatment plan as suggested by your doctors and nurses. Use your medication as prescribed, monitor your blood glucose if required to do so, and contact your healthcare provider if you’re worried about anything.

Eat Healthy Foods and Lose Weight

Lifestyle changes can make a huge difference to your diabetes management. If you’re overweight or obese, losing weight can make a huge difference to your condition. There’s no specific diet for people living with Type 2 diabetes, but there are some good guidelines you can use. Healthy eating and portion control are the basic principles to follow. Consume fewer calories and avoid refined carbs. Eat more veggies and plant based protein, and choose foods that are high in fibre.

Quit Smoking

There’s strong evidence that quitting smoking will help your body to recover some of its sensitivity to insulin. Researchers found that insulin sensitivity in smokers improved significantly within eight weeks of quitting. You’ll be able to quit more easily if you enlist your doctor’s help. New medications help to reduce cravings. Your willpower still has a big role to play, but it will be easier to stick to your resolution.

Get Moving

Exercise also matters in your Type 2 diabetes management. It can seem like a daunting prospect, but you can exclude mental images of boot camps and suddenly being required to turn into an athlete! Let’s look at this in greater detail next.

Exercise For Type 2 Diabetes

Exercise is a great way to improve your body’s insulin sensitivity - and if you have weight to lose, it will help you to achieve your target faster. 30 minutes of moderate activity a day are all you need to make a difference. Walking or cycling are top recommendations, and with a little strength training thrown in, you should be well on the way to better diabetes management.

But what if you’ve lived a sedentary lifestyle for years? The healthiest way to implement the change will be the gradual way. Start small and work your way up. Strenuous or unaccustomed exercise can place you at risk of injury, so taking the easy way out is the smart thing to do!

Type 2 Diabetes Complications

Before reading the rather depressing list of possible Type 2 Diabetes complications, please note that you may never experience them if you manage your diabetes well. And if some damage has already occurred, your lifestyle changes and treatment compliance can make it possible to reverse some of the damage or, at the very least, prevent further damage from occurring.

Cardiovascular disease: Type 2 diabetes increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and arteriosclerosis.

Neuropathy: High blood sugar levels can cause nerve damage. This usually begins in the hands and feet, with tingling, numbness or pain being typical symptoms of neuropathy.

Kidney disease: High blood sugar levels can harm the blood vessels that supply your kidneys as well as the kidneys themselves. High blood pressure is very common in people living with Type 2 diabetes and this can also contribute to kidney damage.

Slow healing, infections, and ulcers: High blood glucose levels can slow down wound healing and nerve damage might make it harder to notice cuts or wounds. This is particularly important on the feet, where skin damage can quickly turn into ulcers or wound infections which need to be treated urgently to avoid serious complications like amputations.

Eye and ear problems: Eye damage is also linked to persistently high blood sugar levels. Cataracts, glaucoma, and damaged retinal blood vessels can lead to blindness. Similarly, hearing impairment is more common among people living with Type 2 diabetes.

Alzheimer’s or Dementia: Type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s and dementia. Good diabetes management will help to protect you from this diabetes complication.

Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity

Being overweight or obese are huge risk factors for Type 2 diabetes. An excess of fat makes you more insulin resistant: your body is telling your cells to use glucose, but they no longer respond to the chemical messenger your body sent out. A BMI of over 25 places you at risk of diabetes, and the higher your BMI, the greater the risk.

There’s good news hidden behind the bad. Losing weight can help your body to regain some of its insulin sensitivity, and there are people who don’t even need medication for their diabetes after shedding some of the excess pounds. They still have Type 2 diabetes - it’s not curable - but if they continue to take good care of themselves, they may even be able to reverse some of the damage that diabetes has already done.

Type 2 Diabetes and Hypoglycemia

The main problem with Type 2 diabetes is hyperglycaemia – blood sugar levels that are too high and cause damage to the body. To solve this problem, you need medication to bring those blood glucose levels down either by improving insulin sensitivity, increasing the amount of insulin in your blood or by helping your kidneys to get rid of excess sugar.

However, it’s possible that your blood sugar levels can become too low to support your normal bodily functions. That’s known as hypoglycemia. It can result in very unpleasant symptoms, and if it is severe and untreated it could also leave you unconscious.

Common symptoms of hypoglycemia include elevated heartbeat, trembling, excessive sweating, and feeling weak, dizzy, or confused. You can solve the problem with some easily-absorbable sugars, for example, a glass of fruit juice. If you experience episodes like this, report your hypoglycemia to your doctor so that your medications and blood sugar monitoring program can be adjusted if necessary.

Type 2 Diabetes and Alcohol

If you’ve received a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis, you will have to be careful with alcohol. Never drink on an empty stomach, avoid drinks that are high in carbs and sugars, and always drink in moderation - one or two drinks should be safe. Drinking too much can cause life-threatening complications like ketoacidosis or hypoglycemia. It can even cause the balance to tip in the opposite direction with hyperglycemia as a result.

If you’re already monitoring your blood sugar levels, be sure to monitor them extra carefully before, during, and after using alcohol. Keep some snacks handy in case your blood sugar levels fall too low, and use the buddy system: an alert friend or family member may spot that you’re in trouble and they’ll take the right emergency steps if you’ve told them what to do in an emergency.

Try to limit your alcohol use to special occasions. Regular alcohol use can heighten your insulin resistance, and since that’s the cause of Type 2 diabetes, increasing your insulin resistance even more will make your diabetes harder to manage.

Finally, be sure to wear your Medical Alert bracelet or necklace just in case things go wrong. If you were to lose consciousness, it will help medical personnel to decide on the right way to treat you.

Diabetes and Your Family

Your family can be your top source of support in your battle against Type 2 diabetes. While it may be tempting to downplay your risks to spare them worry, it’s important that they know and understand what you’re up against. And, if you’re doing the smart thing and going on a wellness drive towards a healthier lifestyle, you’ll need them to understand and support what you’re trying to achieve.

You may also be concerned about their future. Although Type 2 diabetes can be managed, it makes you more aware of how precious life is and that nobody lives forever. If you don’t yet have life insurance to safeguard your family’s financial health in the event of your passing away, now’s the time to protect their future wellbeing by getting insured.

Do you have to submit to a lengthy life insurance application process and months-long waiting times because you have Type 2 diabetes?

In most instances, you do! But at Blueberry Life, we’re changing all that. You can get the life insurance you need for your peace of mind, and you can navigate the process quickly and easily without having to pay inflated premiums. Find out more about life insurance for Type 2 diabetes today. Get your cover, and get to work on beating the odds. Practise good diabetes management for a healthier and happier future. After all, that’s what you and your family want most! Start your application today and watch us spring into action. All you need is 5 minutes to tell us about yourself.

Reviewed by Dr. Kingshuk Pal

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What is Type 2 Diabetes? A Complete Guide