Do Type 2 Diabetics Need Sugar

Are There Side Effects From Sugar Alcohol Are They Different If You Have Diabetes

Whether you have diabetes or not, you may experience specific side effects from sugar alcohol. This is because sugar alcohol is a type of FODMAP, called a polyol.

FODMAPs are food molecules that some people find hard to digest. Eating foods that contain sugar alcohol may act as a laxative or create gastrointestinal distress in some people. These symptoms may become more severe if you eat a large quantity.

Side effects of sugar alcohol

• stomach pain or discomfort

Healthy Eating For Type 2 Diabetes

A dietitian or your doctor will be able to advise you on what to eat to meet your nutritional needs and control your blood sugar. Your doctor should be able to refer you to a registered dietitian for personalised advice.

Eating healthy foods with a low glycaemic index can help to optimise your blood sugar levels. This includes wholegrain breads, minimally processed breakfast cereals like rolled or steel cut oats, legumes, fruit, pasta and dairy products.

Avoid high-carbohydrate, low-nutrient foods such as cakes, lollies and soft drinks, and eat a diet low in saturated fat.

You should eat at regular times of the day and may also need snacks. Try to match the amount of food you eat with the amount of activity you do, so that you dont put on weight.

If you are overweight or obese, losing even 5-10 per cent of your body weight can significantly improve blood sugar control.

General Conclusions For Public Health And Dietary Recommendations

The sugar controversy as presented to the general public, by Nicky Campbell

*The Big Question. BBC 1, Sunday 24 January 2016, 10.30h .

A high consumption of extra calories as sugar can obviously contribute to weight gain and T2DM development, and the cynical incorporation of caffeine whose addictive property increases sales, is playing a part. But there are many other factors. People who develop T2DM are likely to consume excess calories from fat as well as sugar , and commonly under-report consumption of both. They are also more likely to smoke and to be more inactive, both contributing to T2DM risk.

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Low Blood Sugar With Type 2 Diabetes: Is It Possible

6/26/2015 by mySugr

• /Low Blood Sugar with Type 2 Diabetes: Is It Possible?

Can you have low blood sugar with type 2 diabetes? The answer is yes! People with type 2 diabetes who take certain types of medication are more at risk for lows . But don’t worry, if you know about the reasons, symptoms, and treatment, there’s no need to be afraid!

What Are The First Symptoms Of Type 2 Diabetes

Many people with type 2 diabetes do not experience any symptoms at first and it may go undiagnosed for years. If they do have symptoms, these may include:

• being very thirsty
• having cuts that heal slowly

Over time, diabetes can lead to complications, which can then cause other symptoms.

Blood glucose testing is important for detecting pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes before complications arise.

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Can Type 2 Diabetes Be Reversed

Yes! The good news is that several studies have shown that type 2 diabetes can be reversed. You are considered in remission from type 2 diabetes when you have had normal blood sugar levels for a year without medication.

One of the most important components in reversing type 2 diabetes is early detection. Dr. Bergquist explains, The pancreas produces insulin. The longer you have diabetes, the more damage your insulin resistance causes to your pancreas, and the less likely your pancreas is to recover. Hence, the possibility for remission decreases the longer you have diabetes. But theres a wide window during which you can be successful.

Do I Eliminate All Sugars Out Of My Diet

Like I mentioned before, sugar is found in both processed and natural form. With all sugars, the key is to intake the recommended amount, which is 25 grams or 6 teaspoons per day as per the World Health Organization, and to get the most nutrition with the least amount of sugar.

You could completely eliminate sugar from your diet, but then you would be starving your body from the lack of many essential nutrients that it needs in order to perform. Also, it is important to understand that processed sugar is not as beneficial for you as sugar that is found naturally.

Processed sugar comes from sugar cane or beets. It is found in cookies, cakes, juices, soda, etc.It is worse for you because of its high calorie count and have no nutritional value. Also, it is harder for your body to break them down than it is for natural sugars.

You dont need to completely eliminate them from your diet. What you should do is stick with the correct portions and space your intake throughout the day.

Natural sugars are the ones found in starchy vegetables, dairy products, and fruits. You want to consume them in moderation without having to completely eliminating them.

They are still very healthy and provide you with lots of nutrition. Here are some examples of the great benefits of starchy vegetables:

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Do I Need To Count My Sugar Intake On A Daily Basis

Yes, you need to! Your intake needs to be consistent throughout the day. For example, dont eat all of your daily allotted amount of carbohydrates for breakfast and expect to go the rest of the day without any carbs or sugars.

That is especially important if you are on medications for diabetes or use insulin. They can drop your blood sugar during the day and without any carbohydrate intake, you could be at a risk of having very low blood sugar levels.

Counting your carbohydrate and sugar intake daily and making sure that they are consistent for each meal helps ensure that your body has enough energy throughout the day.

To find out what your total daily allotted amount should be, consult with your doctor or your dietician. Talk to them about the best ways to count your intake and about how your medications will affect your blood sugar.

For more dietary advice regarding diabetes read the following:

• Can I Eat Pasta If I have Diabetes

Is Type 2 Diabetes Genetic

Over 75% of kids with type 2 diabetes also have a relative with the condition. But this could be due to similar lifestyles in the family rather than genetic factors. Like any condition, some people have a genetic predisposition towards both insulin insensitivity and type 2 diabetes, but the primary factor governing type 2 diabetes is lifestyle.

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Complex Carbs Vs Simple Sugars

Someone else said: Understanding sugar is easy, understanding carbs defies common sense.

Its true, we all know what sugar is that white sweet stuff thats highly addictive!

But the category of carbohydrates can be one of the most difficult ones to get your head around, at least at first. Most of us can easily identify a or fat, but carbohydrates are a little more difficult.

The reason for this is because carbohydrates cover all the different types of plant foods, and there are a lot of them. They basically come under the categories of grains/cereals, beans/legumes, fruits and vegetables.

Under these categories there are complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates. These can also be called complex sugars and simple sugars. Sugar is a carbohydrate a simple carb/simple sugar.

On the other hand, whole grain pasta is a complex carbohydrate. But at the end of the day, complex carbs still break down to simple sugars, it just takes longer and the digestion process is different to the quick absorption that occurs with simple sugars.

While this can get complicated, its really not: sugars are carbs and carbs are sugars. At the end of the day, all digestible carbs end up in your bloodstream plain and simple.

Who Is Most At Risk From Type 2 Diabetes

As already mentioned, type 2 diabetes symptoms often come on gradually and can be quite vague at first. Many people have type 2 diabetes for a long period of time before their diagnosis is made.

The most common type 2 diabetes symptoms are:

• Being thirsty a lot of the time.
• Passing large amounts of urine.
• Tiredness, which may be worse after meals.

The reason why you make a lot of urine and become thirsty is that if your blood sugar rises too high the excess sugar leaks into your urine. This pulls out extra water through the kidneys.

As the type 2 diabetes symptoms may develop gradually, you can become used to being thirsty and tired and you may not recognise for some time that you are ill. Some people also develop blurred vision and frequent infections, such as recurring thrush. However, some people with type 2 diabetes do not have any symptoms if the glucose level is not too high. But, even if you do not have symptoms, you should still have treatment to reduce the risk of developing complications.

Type 2 Diabetes

A simple dipstick test may detect sugar in a sample of urine. However, this is not enough to make a definite diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Therefore, a blood test called HbA1c is needed to make the diagnosis. The blood test detects the level of glucose in your blood. If the glucose level is high then it will confirm that you have type 2 diabetes.

Some people have to have two samples of blood taken and may be asked to fast.

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What Causes Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes develops when the pancreas makes less insulin than the body needs, and the body cells stop responding to insulin. They dont take in sugar as they should. Sugar builds up in your blood. When cells dont respond to insulin, this is called insulin resistance. It’s usually caused by:

• Lifestyle factors, including obesity and a lack of exercise.
• Genetics, or abnormal genes, that prevent cells from working as they should.

How Can I Manage My Type 2 Diabetes

Managing your blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol, and quitting smoking if you smoke, are important ways to manage your type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle changes that include planning healthy meals, limiting calories if you are overweight, and being physically active are also part of managing your diabetes. So is taking any prescribed medicines. Work with your health care team to create a diabetes care plan that works for you.

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What Happens With Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes develops over a long period of time . During this period of time insulin resistance starts, this is where the insulin is increasingly ineffective at managing the blood glucose levels. As a result of this insulin resistance, the pancreas responds by producing greater and greater amounts of insulin, to try and achieve some degree of management of the blood glucose levels.

As insulin overproduction occurs over a very long period of time, the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas wear themselves out, so that by the time someone is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, they have lost 50 70% of their insulin-producing cells. This means type 2 diabetes is a combination of ineffective insulin and not enough insulin. Lifestyle changes may be able to slow this process in some people.

Initially, type 2 diabetes can often be managed with healthy eating and regular physical activity. Over time many people with type 2 diabetes will also need tablets and some may eventually require insulin. It is important to note that this is normal, and taking tablets or insulin as soon as they are required can result in fewer long-term complications.

What Can You Do If Your Blood Sugar Levels Are Too Low

It is important to react quickly enough and eat or drink something, like dextrose sugar or a sugary drink .

If someone has severe hypoglycemia they may feel drowsy and confused, and might even become unconscious. People who have type 1 diabetes often carry a pre-filled syringe on them in case that happens, containing the hormone glucagon. Glucagon makes the liver release sugar into the bloodstream. Someone else can then inject the hormone if necessary. If this is not possible, it is important to call the emergency services immediately and ask for medical help.

If your blood sugar levels keep on dropping too low, you should see your doctor. It could then be a good idea to change your lifestyle or medication.

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Common Questions About Type 2 Diabetes:

• Can type 2 diabetes go away?
• Will I need to take insulin?
• Do I have to take it forever?

• Can type 2 diabetes be prevented?

How do you treat type 2 diabetes?

When you have type 2 diabetes, you first need to eat a healthy diet, stay physically active and lose any extra weight. If these lifestyle changes cannot control your blood sugar, you also may need to take pills and other injected medication, including insulin.

Eating a healthy diet, being physically active, and losing any extra weight is the first line of therapy. Diet and exercise is the foundation of all diabetes management because it makes your bodys cells respond better to insulin and lowers blood sugar levels.

If you cannot normalize or control the blood sugars with diet, weight loss and exercise, the next treatment phase is taking medicine either orally or by injection.

Diabetes pills work in different ways some lower insulin resistance, others slow the digestion of food or increase insulin levels in the blood stream. The non-insulin injected medications for type 2 diabetes have a complicated action but basically lower blood glucose after eating. Insulin therapy simply increases insulin in the circulation.

Many people with type 2 diabetes have elevated blood fats and blood pressure, so you may be given medications for these problems as well.

Can type 2 diabetes go away? And if my blood sugar becomes normal, do I still have diabetes?

Will I need to take insulin if I have type 2 diabetes?

Carbs In Honey Vs Sugar

The subject of sweeteners is another area of confusion. Essentially, all sugar, whether its a natural sugar or not, has the same amount of carbs.

Take a look at this chart:

All of these sugars, natural sugar are all sugar nonetheless. So honey and sugar are really exactly the same thing, especially in terms of blood sugar management.

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Type 2 Diabetes And Complications

Like type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes carries the risk of diabetes complications over time.

The most common complications of type 2 diabetes include:

• Nerve damage , which raises the risk of amputation

In fact, by the time they are diagnosed, 50% of people with type 2 diabetes show early signs of these health conditions.

The list of complications, which also includes depression and sexual dysfunction, is not pleasant but their risks can be reduced through good diabetes control and attending all diabetic screening appointments.

As with many chronic diseases, early diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is beneficial for treatment. Before type 2 diabetes develops, most patients exhibit pre-diabetic symptoms, and if treatment commences at this stage, diabetes of this type can be preventable.

• Almost 1 in 3 people with type 2 diabetes develops overt kidney disease
• Within 20 years of diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, 60% of people diagnosed have some degree of retinopathy

In terms of short term complications of diabetes, ketoacidosis is rare amongst type 2 diabetics. However, non-ketonic hyperglycemia is one threat type 2 diabetics should be aware of.

Your Diabetes Healthcare Team

A lifelong condition like diabetes is best managed with the support of a diabetes healthcare team. You are the most important member of your diabetes team. Other members are:

Depending on your needs, the team may also include:

• an endocrinologist and other medical specialists such as a kidney specialist
• counsellor.

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About Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is usually a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood glucose level to become too high.

The hormone insulin produced by the pancreas is responsible for controlling the amount of glucose in the blood

There are two main types of diabetes:

• type 1 where the pancreas doesn’t produce any insulin
• type 2 where the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or the body’s cells don’t react to insulin

This topic is about type 2 diabetes.

Read more about type 1 diabetes

Another type of diabetes, known as gestational diabetes, occurs in some pregnant women and tends to disappear after birth.