Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, and while there is currently no cure, the disease is manageable. Amy Martin, Diabetes Educator for Washington County Hospital and Clinics, says there are stories of people who have “cured” themselves of type 2 diabetes through improved diet and exercise, but those people have actually gone into remission. The diabetes is still in their system and must continue to be monitored and treated, or else it could return people to square one. According to Martin, treatment mostly involves changes in eating and lifestyle. Type 2 diabetes is treated by watching carbohydrate intake, eating a balanced diet, and increased exercise. They also prescribe a wide range of medications, that include oral, injectable, and insulin if necessary.

Diagnosing type 2 diabetes is tricky, as research has shown people often don’t find out they have it until 5-10 years after it first enters their system. Because of that, Martin says they stress people should get blood work done once a year, or more, if there is a history of diabetes in the family. People don’t usually show symptoms of diabetes until their blood sugar reaches levels of 200-400. Symptoms people can show include excessive thirst, excessive urination, unexplained weight loss, and excessive fatigue. For more information about type 2 diabetes and National Diabetes Awareness Month, listen to the In Touch with Southeast Iowa interview with Martin at KCIIRadio.com.