Type 2 diabetes prevalence figures show that 3.9 million people are currently diagnosed with the chronic condition in the UK. However, the true figure is closer to five million as there are an estimated one million people that haven’t been diagnosed. The more you understand about the condition, the more this discrepancy makes sense.
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Type 2 diabetes symptoms: The sign in your eyes
Type 2 diabetes says one of two things: that the body doesn’t produce enough insulin to function properly, or the body’s cells don’t react to insulin.
Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar, the main type of sugar found in your blood.
When insulin is effectively out of action, blood sugar levels continue to rise, and, eventually, start to inflict damage on the body.
This process is gradual, however, so many people will be leading their lives as normal, completely unaware of the pernicious effects that uncontrolled blood sugar levels are having on their body.
This helps to account for the vast number of people that are currently living with diabetes without realising it.
When does it start to reveal itself?
Symptoms tend to bubble up to the surface when high blood sugar levels start injuring nerves throughout your body.
This process, known as diabetic neuropathy, most often damages nerves in your legs and feet, according to Mayo Clinic.
High blood sugar levels can also affect the nerves in the abdominal and chest area, this is known as proximal neuropathy, says the health body.
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“Symptoms are usually on one side of the body, but may spread to the other side,” it adds.
One warning sign is severe stomach pain.
How to treat it
Keeping your blood sugar levels within a healthy range is key to preventing or halting the nerve damage.
The first step is to overhaul your diet, particularly if you are overweight.
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- Type 2 diabetes symptoms: The sign in your eyes
As Diabetes UK explains, this can help to lower your blood sugar and reduce your risk of other complications.
A diet that is low in carbohydrates is a hard and fast way to stabilise your blood sugar levels and encourage weight loss.
You do not have to cut carbs altogether but it is important to choose sensibly the carbs you consume.
“Choose the healthier foods that contain carbs and be aware of your portion sizes,” advises Diabetes UK.
Healthy carbs include:
- Whole grains like brown rice, buckwheat and whole oats
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Pulses such as chickpeas, beans and lentils
- Dairy like unsweetened yoghurt and milk.
“At the same time, it’s also important to cut down on foods low in fibre such as white bread, white rice and highly-processed cereals,” adds Diabetes UK.
A helpful way to distinguish high and low-carb foods is to follow the the Glycemic Index (GI), a relative ranking of carbohydrates in foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels.
Another key way to stabilise your blood sugar levels while aiding weight loss is to exercise for at least 2.5 hours a week, adds the NHS.
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