Can Type 2 Diabetes Be Helped With Diet & Exercise?

Ninety to 95 percent of diabetics have Type 2 diabetes, formally known as adult onset diabetes. It usually occurs in people over 40, though, recently doctors are finding more cases of Type 2 diabetes in children. Even though Type 2 diabetes can occur from an inactive lifestyle and poor eating habits, genetics does play a role in the disease. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease, which diet and exercise can improve, but not cure.

Definition

• Type 2 diabetes is the result of the body not producing enough insulin or the body not using the insulin properly to process sugar.

Effects

• If the body does not use the insulin properly, too much sugar stays in the bloodstream instead of moving into the cells.

Diet

• A diet low in carbohydrates and fat helps the body stabilize the blood sugar because the cells are more receptive to the sugar.

Exercise

• Exercise causes the body to use sugar for energy, thus lowering the amount of sugar in the bloodstream.

Benefits

• With a proper diet and a regimen of daily exercise, some Type 2 diabetics can manage their disease without oral medication or insulin.