Type 2 Diabetes 

The most common form of diabetes is type 2, characterized by obesity and resistance to insulin. The insulin hormone takes sugar (glucose) from the blood into cells where it is turned into energy. Insulin resistance means that the cells ignore the insulin and sugar accumulates in the blood.

The incidence of diabetes type 2 is higher among African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders. People over age 45 that are overweight have a higher risk of developing this illness.

Diabetes is a serious disease. People with diabetes are susceptible to other health problems such as heart disease and poor circulation. Diabetes can damage the kidneys, the eyes (leading to blindness), the nerves throughout the body, the skin, the stomach and the feet.

The symptoms of diabetes type 2 include increased appetite and thirst, excessive urination, fatigue and blurred vision. People with type II diabetes also experience frequent infections that take a lot of time to heal. Relieving these symptoms requires controlling the levels of glucose in the blood. This can be achieved through diet and exercise.

A normal blood glucose level is between 90 and 130 mg/dl before meals; two hours after the meal, the level should be below 180. Diabetics usually have levels of 126 and higher before meals and 200 after meals.

Diabetics need to measure the amount of sugar in their blood before each meal and before going to bed using a blood glucose meter kit. This kit includes a lancing device to obtain small blood samples from the edge of palm, the base of thumb, or the outer thigh. The blood is placed in a diabetes test strip that is then read by the electronic meter. In less than a minute, the device gives an exact reading of the blood’s glucose.