How to Get Healthy and Stay That Way When You Have Type 2 Diabetes 

September 25, 2024

The only thing scarier than learning you have type 2 diabetes, is realizing that the condition could shorten your life. Most people with type 2 diabetes don’t live as long as those without it. Diabetes data shows that if you are over 50 when you receive the diagnosis, your life expectancy will be shortened by six years compared to those without the condition. 

Of course, those are just statistics. Plenty of people beat the odds. In many ways, you are in control. You can choose to extend your life by making changes in how you live it. Today thousands of diabetics are living fulfilling, active lives long past their 80th birthday. If you don’t want diabetes to be a death sentence, here’s how to stay healthy when you have type 2 diabetes. 

All About Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes arrives with a constellation of well-known symptoms. Type 2 diabetes symptoms include blurred vision, fatigue, excessive thirst and a concurrent need to frequently urinate. Other symptoms include tingling hands or feet along with skin that gets darker around the armpit, neck, and groin area. However, 20% of people with type 2 diabetes are unaware they have the condition – often because they don’t experience any symptoms. 

When the insulin-producing pancreas is no longer able to control blood sugar levels, and blood sugar (or glucose) becomes resistant to the hormone, pre-diabetes is often the result. That means when glucose levels increase after eating, the body doesn’t receive its usual energy boost. Insulin normally helps the body’s muscles by delivering energy-producing glucose. Insulin also transports glucose to the liver where it is stored by the body for later use. 

In people with pre-diabetes, blood sugar levels are so high that the insulin no longer works (insulin resistance), the muscles no longer take glucose up from the bloodstream, and the liver is at capacity (often because extra space is taken up by fat instead of sugar.) Insulin resistance is a warning sign for pre-diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas is so taxed that it has trouble producing any insulin at. 

Type 2 diabetes affects a growing number of people. The number of people living with the condition tripled between 1990 and 2010. Since then, numbers have continued to increase. According to the American Diabetes Association, some 38.4 million Americans currently have diabetes. That’s nearly 12% of the population! Around eight million of them don’t even know they have it. Treating the condition is responsible for over $400 billion in medical costs. And according to the IDF Diabetes Atlas, more than ten percent of adults worldwide have some form of diabetes. 

Long before learning they have type 2 diabetes, many more have insulin resistance and are likely already pre-diabetic. According to one National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, as many as 40% of American adults aged 18-to-44 have insulin resistance. Without significant lifestyle changes, there’s a very good chance that most of them will be diagnosed with the condition by the time they celebrate their 50th birthday. 

Common risk factors for type 2 diabetes include being over the age of 45, having an immediate family member with the condition, or having high blood pressure. The risk is also elevated simply by being in a certain ethnic group including American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Hispanic/Latino or non-Hispanic Black. Consuming red meat more than three times a week also increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However none of these risk factors comes close to the danger posed by being overweight.

A BMI calculation is arrived at by entering your height and weight into an online BMI calculator. If the number is over 25, you may be overweight while anything over 30 indicates obesity. Nearly three-quarters of American adults are either obese or overweight with some 40% having an obese BMI over 30. Researchers have found a direct link between obesity and type 2 diabetes. In fact, over 90% of people with type 2 diabetes are either obese or overweight. If you are overweight or have other risk factors for diabetes, getting tested should be your first step. After all, you need to have accurate information before you can make a decision about your health and lifestyle. 

Testing A1C levels used to mean a long wait at the doctor’s office. Now it can be done from the comfort of your couch. Kyla offers an at-home test that looks at hemoglobin – the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. The test reveals the percentage of hemoglobin with blood sugar attached to it. A positive diagnosis for type 2 diabetes begins with this test. If the test shows that more than 6.5% of hemoglobin has blood sugar attached, it indicates diabetes. If the percentage of attached blood sugar is between 5.7% and 6.4%, then that indicates pre-diabetes and likely insulin resistance. Normal blood sugar levels are below 5.7%.

Not only can you learn your A1C levels through Kyla’s at-home testing service, but included with the same test you’ll also get a comprehensive metabolic panel along with information on your cholesterol, thyroid, cortisol, and Vitamin D levels along with your risk for certain conditions including type 2 diabetes. Other companies often charge hundreds of dollars for similar tests. At Kyla, this primary care panel is just $99 and may even be covered by insurance.  

To get your test, simply order the male or female primary care panel from Kyla. In a few days you’ll receive your test kit along with instructions for sample collection. Mail it back to Kyla postage-free. Soon you will get the results – learning not only if your blood sugar levels are too high but also detailed information on heart health, lung health, kidney health, vitamin deficiencies, cancer risk, and much more. Best of all, you’ll be able to discuss the results with a Kyla doctor. Together you’ll be able to develop a strategy for staying healthy with diabetes, overcoming other chronic conditions, or just setting and achieving important lifestyle goals.

Losing Weight and Making Healthy Choices 

It’s about more than blood sugar. Being healthy and living a long life requires a holistic, all-body approach. That means not only bringing your A1C levels down but also working hard to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. The best way to do this is by losing weight. 

There’s no getting around it. America has a weight problem. Over 100 million American adults have an obese BMI. Tens of millions more are considered overweight. We aren’t alone. In much of the world, industrialized societies are increasingly adopting Western-style diets that are high in processed foods, sugar, and salt. They too are dealing with growing numbers of obese and overweight citizens. 

Losing weight can reduce your risk for a variety of conditions, including heart disease and some cancers. It can lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Yet what you might not realize is what an outsized impact it has on not only management of type 2 diabetes but also life expectancy for anyone with this condition. 

A recent study of life expectancy for those with type 2 diabetes looked at six groups that were divided by sex and along three different age ranges. For people who had average cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels, reducing these numbers while losing weight increased their life expectancy by three years. Yet for those who weighed the most and had the highest levels of cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar, dropping pounds while lowering those levels bought them an additional decade of average life expectancy. 

Not only did reducing BMI have the greatest impact on life expectancy, study authors admitted that it might be even more important than their research indicated. That’s because the study looked at a combination of several factors like how lower cholesterol and blood pressure worked in concert with weight loss. The authors are confident that if weight loss is studied in isolation, it will be demonstrated that no other lifestyle change comes close when it comes to staying healthy with type 2 diabetes. 

Of course eating right and exercising can bring immediate benefits to blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. That’s because your body will undergo a dramatic metabolic change –  one whose benefits can’t be overstated. The best ways to stay healthy when you have type 2 diabetes are the same as the ways to stay healthy when you don’t have it.

First and foremost, losing weight is the fastest way to both stay healthy and keep blood sugar levels under control. In fact, just a five-to-ten percent reduction in body weight can make a huge difference. Start by reducing carbohydrates, especially foods made with refined, white flour like breads and cookies. Eat more fruits and vegetables, along with lean proteins like fish and poultry. Reduce your consumption of red meat. Avoid sugar-laden sodas and juices; switch to diet no-sugar sodas, unsweetened tea or coffee along with plenty of water. 

Exercise is a must. Begin with moderate activities like walking around your neighborhood, doing laps at a pool, or riding a stationary bike. As your fitness level improves, increase your speed and the length of time you spend doing the activity. Don’t ignore the value of resistance training. Studies suggest that weight training is superior to cardiovascular exercise when it comes to controlling type 2 diabetes. 

Make getting sleep a priority. Reduce pre-bedtime distractions like phones and other electronic devices. Limit caffeine and alcohol consumption in the hours before bedtime. Strive to create a cool, dark, quiet environment for your slumber. Along with prioritizing sleep, reduce stress. Make lists rather than ruminating over tomorrow’s challenges. Consider taking a yoga class or listen to a meditation app. 

Finally, work with a trained professional. With Kyla’s Dedicated Health Program, you can gain insights into your health through AI analytics and advanced testing. Discover how your lifestyle affects your body by tracking vital health indicators like primary care and hormone levels. Monitor your data conveniently on the Kyla app, allowing you to visualize your progress through graphs for better insights. 

You can continue to take charge of your diabetes health by regularly utilizing Kyla Cards and the at-home blood test which will allow you to monitor your A1C levels and your hormones. We realize that living with diabetes can be challenging. Managing it doesn’t have to be. If you’re dealing with symptoms like fatigue, increased thirst, frequent urination, or unexplained weight loss, it’s essential to keep track of your health markers.Stay on top of your health and be proactive by empowering your diabetes management. Order your Kyla Cards today and take a confident step towards better health! 

Sources: 

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Mathai, Kamini. “Living till 100 years of age with diabetes is not just possible, it’s simple, says diabetologist Dr V Mohan.” The Economic Times/ India Times. December 21, 2021. https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/diagnostics/living-to-100-with-diabetes-is-possible-diabetologist-says/72912862

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