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Type II diabetes is a serious issue in our modern world. The number of people who suffer from this disorder is on the rise and it’s becoming a serious concern for health professionals as well. Over the long term, Type II diabetes can cause a number of problems for your overall health and wellbeing and increases the risk of early death. But what most people don’t know is that this form of diabetes is often reversible with the right lifestyle changes. If you have Type II diabetes, keep reading to learn how you can take control of your personal health and reverse the effects of this disease.

 

What is Type II Diabetes?

Doctors aren’t certain what causes Type II diabetes, though it seems likely that it’s a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Specifically, obesity and inactivity strongly linked to the development of this disease as are fat distribution, age and race. When someone has this disease, their body can no longer process sugar correctly. They do not need to take insulin to manage their condition, but they do have to be aware of the sugar content of everything they eat and drink.

 

Most people who are diagnosed with this disease will have to live with it for the rest of their lives. It can cause long term problems, including an increased risk of cardiovascular problems as well as damage to essential systems such as nerves, kidneys and the eyes. It is also associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease and certain skin conditions. The treatment for this disease usually involves lifestyle management and treatment of the problems associated with it. However, people with this disease live on average 6 years less than people who don’t have the disease.

 

The Societal Cost of this Problem

Aside from the damage to the personal health of many people, Type II diabetes has an increasing cost for society as a whole. In 1980 an estimated 108 million people had this disease, but this number had increased to 422 million by 2014. That is a staggering leap, and may be partly because of changes in the modern lifestyle, which has become mostly sedentary. The financial cost of this disease rose as well. In 2012 it was estimated that diabetes cost the United States around 245 billion dollars.

 

The Problem with Current Treatment Methods

People with Type II diabetes are usually given a treatment of drugs, most of them designed to treat the problems associated with the disease. This often includes blood pressure medications and antibiotics to treat potential heart problems. Unfortunately, these drugs may have a negative effect on the personal health of the patient. Because they believe that the drugs are treating the problem, the patient has no impetus to try to reverse the disease through harder, but more effective means such as diet and exercise. This means that the treatments are actually providing an illusion of safety that the numbers just don’t agree with.

 

The Potential Solution

Despite the increasing number of people diagnosed with Type II diabetes, doctors claim that the disease is usually preventable, and often reversible. Research suggests that most Type II diabetes is caused by obesity and poor food choices. For this reason, a weight reduction of about 33 pounds or 15 kilograms, is often enough to completely reverse the problem. Despite this fact, it is extremely rare that a Type II diabetes patient goes into remission, and this is a serious concern both for their personal health and the future of the healthcare system. This situation needs to be reversed if modern society is going to gain control over this disease and the problems it causes.

 

What you can do

The key to reversing the effects of Type II diabetes is to build a healthy lifestyle. This means exercising for at least 30 minutes every day. You don’t have to run marathons or do high impact exercise to get the benefits either. A gentle walk or doing some laps in the pool works just as well as more vigorous exercise. Diet is also important. Eliminate fatty foods, fast foods and anything that isn’t fresh, healthy and natural. This is the only way you will be able to take control of your personal health and eliminate the dangers of diabetes from your life.

 

If you have Type II diabetes, or are concerned about it, try HomeLab. It will help you to take and record health tracking measurements in your own home so when you visit your doctor, you will have all the information he needs to diagnose any problems as soon as possible.

 

Tags: health tracking, personal health, health at home, preventative measures