What causes type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes affects over 29 million people in America, costing the country $256 billion dollars a year. With such a high percentage of the population struggling with this disease, you may wonder what causes type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is when your body cannot produce enough insulin or respond to it and break down glucose in your bloodstream.

There are many ways that you can reverse Type 2 Diabetes naturally. Changing the way you eat and getting some exercise are two big factors you can control to help reverse this disease.

What is type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the cells that make insulin become resistant to it. This happens because of a lack of exercise or eating too much, or insufficient food. People with this condition do not produce enough insulin to break down glucose in the blood and are often diagnosed with obesity, which is a precursor to developing diabetes due to an inability to control weight effectively.

Diabetes is an increasingly common disease in the United States, with nearly 26.7 million American adults diagnosed with it over the past three years.

An estimated 29 percent of U.S. adults aged 20 years and older have been diagnosed with diabetes at some point during their lifetime; another 29 percent will eventually be diagnosed.

What causes type 2 diabetes in the first place

Type 2 diabetes is often linked to obesity, which is a result of poor diet and lack of exercise. Anytime you consume more calories than your body requires and don’t burn them through regular exercise, you may gain weight. When this occurs, the cells in your body cannot efficiently convert glucose into energy.

This causes high blood glucose levels and insulin resistance, leading to Type 2 Diabetes over time. It’s important to remember that the risk factors for developing Type 2 Diabetes are influenced by genetic and behavioral factors (like diet and exercise) that you can control.

Here is a list of other elements that cause type 2 diabetes:

• Genetics – Having family members with type 2 diabetes increases your risk of developing the disease.
• Weight – If you are overweight or obese, you are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than someone with a healthy weight. Approximately 90-95% of those with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese.
• Age–Type 2 Diabetes generally develops after age 40 and becomes more common with age. However, children can also develop it from having certain genetic factors linked to the disease.
• Ethnicity– Certain racial and ethnic groups have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than others do.
• Poor diet and being inactive– Poor diet and exercise are two of the most important risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes.
• Alcohol consumption– Drinking alcohol excessively can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
• Pregnancy – Whether you are pregnant or not before you develop type 2 diabetes makes a difference as to how likely it is that you will develop it and how quickly. If you have already been diagnosed with gestational diabetes during pregnancy, your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases significantly.

Consequences of having type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a “silent killer” as it is often undiagnosed and untreated. Some of the consequences of having type 2 diabetes include:

1. High risk for cardiovascular disease
2. Hypertension (high blood pressure)
3. Retinopathy (damage to the eyes)
4. Neuropathy (nerve damage)
5. Heart failure
6. Kidney disease
7. Hypertensive retinopathy
8. Microalbuminuria (protein in the blood that is indicative of kidney disease or nephropathy)
9. Decreased circulation to the extremities
10. Skin disease
11. Heart attack and stroke
12. Atherosclerosis
13. Aortic aneurysm (a bulge in the aorta, the largest artery in your body)
14. Peripheral arterial disease (hardening of the arteries in your arms and legs that can lead to heart problems if left untreated).
15. Nerve damage throughout your body can lead to pain and/or loss of feeling in your extremities 19. Bladder cancer.

Ways to lower manage type 2 diabetes naturally

It is important to note that by lowering your blood sugar and using your lower blood sugar as a measurement, you can help manage type 2 diabetes and prevent the onset of complications such as heart disease and stroke.

There are many different ways that you can lower your insulin resistance to reverse your diabetes. Below are a few tips:

• Eat healthily – The more vegetables you eat, the healthier your diet becomes. Weight loss and regular exercise will also decrease insulin resistance.
• Get active – Exercise is one of the best ways to lower your blood sugar and lower your insulin resistance. Just 30 minutes per day of moderate aerobic activity can help lower insulin resistance, improve your blood sugar metabolism, and even help you lose weight.
• Maintain a healthy weight – It is important to keep a healthy body mass index (BMI) for your height to keep blood sugar levels under control. This can be achieved through regular exercise and proper dieting according to the BMI guidelines.
• Drink less alcohol – Consuming more alcohol is known to reduce the ability of your liver to regulate your blood sugar, which means that you will have higher blood sugar levels after drinking.
• Supplements - Many supplements can help manage your blood sugar and insulin levels, the most popular being metformin and metformin combined with chromium picolinate. Other similar supplements may also be beneficial.

In conclusion

If you are wondering what causes type 2 diabetes, the good news is that type 2 diabetes is preventable and reversable. If you are 40 or older, overweight or obese, with one or more risk factors for type 2 diabetes, it is important to talk to your doctor about your risk and ways to help prevent the onset of this disease. There are many programs available that can help you lose weight and keep it off to avoid developing type 2 diabetes.