Metabolic Disease Affects Over Half of the US Adult Population
In type 2 diabetes, a metabolic disease, the body produces insulin, but the cells do not respond to it the way they should. This is called “insulin resistance” and results in difficulty regulating blood sugar in the body.
Learn About Type 2 Diabetes
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Who is at risk for Type 2 Diabetes?
Glycemic Control
The treatment plan for most people with type 2 diabetes includes a meal plan, an exercise plan, and diabetes medications. Some people may be able to keep their glucose levels in target ranges with a personalized nutrition plan only.
For most people, the pre-meal blood glucose target is 80-130 and post-meal target (checked 1-2 hrs after the beginning of the meal) should be less than 180. When blood glucose is high the body stores it in fat cells and as it drops craving and hunger increase.
By keeping the A1C (3 month test of blood glucose) and blood glucose levels in target range, this greatly reduces the risk for problems (such as damaged blood vessels) that can result from chronic high blood glucose levels.
Many factors affect blood glucose levels, such as food (especially carbohydrates), stress hormones, and some medications (like steroids). Factors that can lower glucose levels include physical activity, insulin, weight loss and diabetes medications. New research is showing that gut bacteria (the microbiome) is an important influence on blood glucose.