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Type II Diabetes
Type II diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. It is also known as adult-onset diabetes, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or maturity-onset diabetes. It accounts for some 85 to 90 percent of all cases of diabetes. Four out of five of these people are overweight-and in most cases, these people were overweight before their diabetes developed.
Type II diabetes runs in families. Your risk of having type II diabetes goes markedly high if you have excess weight, leads a sedentary lifestyle and have a family history of Type II diabetes.
Type II diabetes is more common in people over the age of 40. However, a person of any age can develop type- II diabetes. Recently, it was reported that more children are being diagnosed with Type II diabetes. Type II diabetes in children and adolescents is sometimes called maturity-onset diabetes of the young and given the acronym MODY.
For most Type II diabetics, the pancreas actually produce more insulin than is necessary, at least in the early stages of the illness. The problem is that dietary fat and cholesterol infiltrate the blood and block insulin from making glucose available to cells. As the disorder progresses, the pancreas weakens, and production of insulin diminishes until insulin injections may be necessary. Most type II diabetics do not need insulin, at least in the early or middle stages of the disease.
Because the glucose is not consumed by cells, blood sugar becomes abnormally high. This results in excessive urination and constant thirst and hunger. The cells are starved of the fuel that is necessary to function. The sufferer will experience excessive fatigue. If allows to proceed unchecked, this can ultimately lead to the death of cells and the body itself.
Type II diabetes can be controlled by what is termed as lifestyle factors - by diet and exercise. People with Type II diabetes are at a higher risk of vision and kidney problems, heart disease and nerve damage.
Symptoms of Type II Diabetes
• Frequent urination
• Increased thirst
• Increased hunger
• Blurred vision
• Slow-healing wounds or sores
• Prolonged and unexplained fatigue
• Numbness or tingling or burning sensations in the legs or feet
• Gynecological fungal infections in women
• Sexual impotence in men.
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