Type II Diabetes usually (but not always) occurs in people over the age of 40. The pancreas can still produce insulin, but it is either not enough for the body to use, or the body cannot use it correctly. It is characterized by Insulin Resistance.
 
Heredity, high fat diets, excess body weight (especially around upper body and abdomen), lack of exercise and smoking can contribute to Insulin Resistance. Treatment for Type II Diabetes include healthy meal planning, weight loss, physical activity and smoking cessation. Other treatments may be added. These other treatments include pills or insulin. The pills can help the body produce more if its own insulin or can help the injected insulin work better.   Pills can also slow the absorption of food so that the blood sugar does not rise as high after a meal.
 
There are other forms of diabetes – gestational (high blood sugar during pregnancy), and other forms which are caused by things such as pancreatic cancer, meds or overproduction of hormones.
 
Continue to monitor our blog for continued information on Type I and Type II Diabetes.