Diabetes

What types of diabetes are there?

It is important to understand that there are two different types of diabetes. We make a distinction between diabetes type 1 and diabetes type 2. In practice, with this second form of diabetes it is often sufficient to lead a healthier life. This does not apply to type 1 diabetes. In this case, insulin must always be administered. This is also well tailored to what you eat. Despite the fact that both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are both a form of diabetes, some differences can still be noted.

What is type 1 diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes involves a deficiency of insulin. This prevents sugar from being absorbed from the blood. Type 1 diabetes usually develops at a young age. However, it cannot be ruled out that you will also be confronted with it at an older age. Type 1 diabetes always requires treatment with insulin. Adopting a healthy lifestyle is also incredibly important and should always be maintained.

What is type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes occurs when there is too much sugar in the blood. This causes blood sugar levels to be too high. Having high blood sugars for a long time can cause damage to the heart and eyes, but also to the kidneys and feet. Initially, treating type 2 diabetes consists of living a healthier lifestyle. Sufficient exercise, for example, is very important.

In addition to the above, people who are overweight are also strongly recommended to lose weight. By taking this into account, blood sugar can usually be lowered. Are there still no good blood sugar levels? The doctor may then choose to prescribe tablets that lower your blood sugar.

What can you do yourself against diabetes?

What you can do yourself with diabetes depends on the type you have. For type 1 diabetes, it is initially a good idea to adopt a healthy lifestyle. However, that's not all. In addition, insulin will always have to be administered. In practice, the amount of insulin will always be adjusted to what you eat. Administering insulin is not necessary for type 2 diabetes. In this case, it is often the case that a healthy lifestyle, such as healthy eating and sufficient exercise, already make a significant difference.

Which medications are used for diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes always requires insulin injections. This is not always necessary with type 2 diabetes. In this case, tablets are often sufficient to keep blood sugar levels under control. Initially, it is quite possible that the medicines will cause more complaints than the condition itself. That is annoying, but should not be a reason to ignore them. This only increases the risk of complications. Please note that taking prescribed medication for diabetes will only achieve the intended goal when combined with:

• Balanced diet;
• A sufficient amount of exercise;
• Maintaining your weight;

Diabetes is also an incurable condition. This means that you will have to take it into account for the rest of your life. However, provided the above tips are taken into account, it is often perfectly possible to lead a more or less normal life.

Suitable diabetes medications:

Janumet
Metformin
Onglyza
Eucreas
Glucophage
Competact
Komboglyze
Victoza
Jentadueto
Januvia
Diamicron