alyson-ellis-ny
Type 2 diabetes
There are two different types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes often develops in children. It occurs because the body cannot produce enough insulin to convert sugar into energy. Type 2 diabetes often affects adults. With type 2 diabetes your pancreas produces insulin but your body develops resistance to it.
While both these conditions involve high blood sugar levels, these are two different conditions. The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is unknown and it cannot be prevented. But type 2 diabetes often develops because of certain factors and unhealthy habits.
Below are 7 things that can cause resistance to insulin and increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Obesity is the biggest risk factor for developing diabetes. Over 80 percent of people with obesity have type 2 diabetes. Being overweight stresses the cells that produce insulin. When these cells have to process more sugar than they can, this suppresses the signals of insulin receptors. Over time, this leads to the development of insulin resistance. Losing excessive weight can help relieve the symptoms and even cure diabetes.
If you have even some excess weight, it is recommended to visit the endocrinologist to measure your blood sugar levels. If you have slightly elevated blood sugar levels, this can be a precursor to diabetes(prediabetes).
While excessive weight increases your risk of diabetes, fat distribution also plays a major role. People with fat accumulation in the central and abdominal areas are at greater risk of type 2 diabetes than people with fat in the buttocks or other body parts. People with visceral fat secrete a protein called retinol-binding protein. This protein has been shown to increase resistance to insulin.
Diet plays a key role in your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The combination of several bad habits like sipping sugary drinks, skipping breakfast, avoiding healthy fats, eating at midnight, and indulging in carbs will eventually cause diabetes over time. A poor diet can also lead to obesity that also puts you at risk of diabetes. You need to exclude foods high in fat, calories, and cholesterol from your diet.
Load your diet with fresh vegetables and fruits, cereals, healthy fats, and other foods high in fiber. It takes longer for your body to process fiber and thus helps keep your blood sugar stable. Eating in this way can help decrease your risk of type 2 diabetes significantly.
The risk of developing type 2 diabetes involves a complex mix of lifestyle factors, environmental factors, and genetics. However, genetics alone cannot cause diabetes if you have a healthy lifestyle. If your relatives have diabetes, you have a three times higher risk of this condition compared to those who don’t have relatives with diabetes. If several family members have diabetes, your risk may be even higher.
Your lifestyle has a great impact on your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Prolonged hours of sitting in the office, lack of physical activity, and chronic stress can make you susceptible to this condition. Physical activity helps your muscles use the glucose from the bloodstream. When you are sedentary, your body needs to work harder to process sugars and make insulin. This overstrains cells that produce insulin and in crease your risk of diabetes.
Race doesn’t necessarily increase your risk of type 2 diabetes. But some ethnic groups are more prone to this condition. The highest rates of type 2 diabetes are observed in African Americans(13.2%) and Hispanics(12.8%). For this reason, people from these ethnic groups should be especially mindful of their diet and lifestyle.
Sleep deprivation can increase your risk of getting type 2 diabetes. People who don’t get enough sleep tend to eat more because they need energy. This can increase your craving for unhealthy and high sugary foods. Eating sugary foods causes blood sugar fluctuations and increases your risk of developing insulin resistance.
Additionally, insomnia slows down your metabolism and makes you prone to obesity. Obesity is a major risk factor for insulin resistance and developing type 2 diabetes. If you want to keep your body healthy and prevent diabetes, it is crucial to get enough sleep.
