Understanding Type 2 Diabetes
Managing diabetes can feel overwhelming, but you’re not expected to figure it out alone. You can take meaningful steps at any stage, and support is always available! This guide offers a simple overview of what is happening in your body when you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, along with some lifestyle strategies that can help.
What Is Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes happens when your body has difficulty using insulin effectively. Insulin is a hormone produced in your pancreas that helps move sugar (glucose) from your bloodstream into your cells, where it is used for energy or stored for later.
When the body becomes less responsive to insulin (called insulin resistance), blood sugar levels begin to rise. At first, your body compensates by producing more insulin to try to keep blood sugar in a safe range. Over time, the pancreas may not be able to keep up with this increased demand, and insulin production may slow down, causing blood sugar to rise further.
To learn more, watch this short video from Diabetes Canada: Eating Well with Type 2 Diabetes
What are the symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes?
When blood sugar is higher, some people may notice:
- Increased thirst
- More frequent urination
- Feeling more tired
- More frequent urinary tract infections
However, many people have no symptoms at all when they are first diagnosed. Today, diabetes is often detected earlier, before symptoms appear. This lowers the risk of long term complications but can make the diagnosis feel surprising or harder to accept.
Without treatment, high blood sugar over time can affect your health. They can place extra strain on both large and small blood vessels in the body, which may impact your heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. The good news is that keeping blood sugar in a safe range can greatly reduce these risks.
How Is Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosed?
Type 2 diabetes can be diagnosed in several ways, and one of the most common tests is a HbA1c.
HbA1c is a blood test that shows your average blood sugar over the past 3 months. To learn more click here. It is important to get this test done at least every year. It helps you and your care team understand how things are going and whether any adjustments to your plan might be helpful.
Lifestyle Changes Can Help at Any Stage
Whether you were diagnosed recently or have lived with diabetes for years, lifestyle changes can make a meaningful difference. It is never too late to support your health, improve blood sugar, and feel more confident in managing diabetes.
Nutrition Strategies to Support Blood Sugar
There is no single “perfect” diet for diabetes. Instead, these principles can help improve blood sugar and reduce insulin resistance:
- Healthy, sustainable weight loss: if you carry extra weight, especially around your waist, losing weight can reduce insulin resistance.
- Increase high-fibre foods such as vegetables, fruit, legumes, and whole grains. Fibre slows the rise in blood sugar and helps you feel full longer.
- Include lean proteins at meals and snacks to help steady blood sugar and improve fullness.
- Choose healthy fats like nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish to support heart health.
- Be mindful of portions of higher-carbohydrate foods. They don’t need to be eliminated, just balanced throughout the day
- Limit highly processed foods where possible, as they tend to raise blood sugar quickly.
- Be aware of liquid sugar like juice, soda, sweetened coffees or teas. These are absorbed very quickly and cause fast rises in blood sugar.
- Build meals around your routine, preferences, and cultural foods. Your plan should work with your life, not against it.
Small changes over time add up. You do not need to completely overhaul your diet to see improvements.
For a more detailed overview, click this link to see diabetes canada’s nutrition guidelines.
How Physical Activity Helps
Movement is one of the most effective ways to improve insulin sensitivity.
- Aerobic activities like walking, swimming, or cycling help lower blood sugar during and after activity.
- Strength training builds muscle, allowing your body to use insulin more effectively.
- Breaking up long periods of sitting with light movement helps keep blood sugar steady throughout the day.
Aim for 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week and two strength-training sessions, but remember every bit counts. Even short bursts of activity add up!
When Medication Is Needed
Many people with type 2 diabetes need medication at some point. This is not a failure and does not mean you did something wrong. Diabetes changes over time, and medication is simply another tool to keep your blood sugar in a safe range and protect your long-term health.
Medications can:
- Improve insulin sensitivity
- Help the pancreas release more insulin
- Reduce blood sugar
- Lower the risk of complications
Using medication when needed is a proactive step in caring for your health.
For more information, you can speak with your doctor(s), pharmacist or click this link for an overview.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
You’ll have regular check-ins with your doctor, endocrinologist, or diabetes nurse. But if you feel something has changed, don’t wait, reach out to your team. Your team is there to support you, and we hope you will feel comfortable to speak up about any symptoms or concerns.
If you have questions or want help exploring any of these topics in more detail, connect with your Constant Health dietitian, and we can add it to the agenda at your next session.
Small changes can lead to big improvements; you're already taking an important step by learning more.