The 4 Types of Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic health problem that affects the way your body breaks down food to produce energy. When your body is unable to move sugar (glucose) from your bloodstream into your cells, you have too much sugar in your blood. Over time, such high blood sugar levels can damage your blood vessels and result in diabetes. It can also increase your risk of developing certain other fatal health conditions.

When it comes to diabetes, prevention is the best policy!

The 4 types of diabetes and their defining factors.

Prediabetes

Being diagnosed with prediabetes means that your blood sugar levels are higher than the normal level but not high enough to be qualified as type 2 diabetes. However, prediabetes can be a precursor to type 2 diabetes. You can only know about it from your blood test reports.

 

Type 1 Diabetes

It is an autoimmune disorder that  can't be prevented. A combination of your genetics and other environmental factors triggers the immune system to attack the insulin producing cells of the pancreas. When the body's immune system starts to destroy insulin producing cells, there is no insulin to move glucose out of the blood. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and teens.  People having a family history of type 1 diabetes are at an increased risk.

Type 2 Diabetes

It is the most common diabetes worldwide. Type 2 diabetes mainly occurs because of insulin resistance - which means that the body is not able to utilize the insulin made by pancreas how it should and the glucose doesn’t move out from blood into the cells. The excess buildup of sugar in the bloodstream starts creating a problem for the pancreas, making it produce less insulin.

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes happens to some women during their pregnancy due to elevated levels of certain female hormones. It can create health challenges for expecting mothers and their newborns. Almost 50% of all pregnant women with gestational diabetes are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

 

How to lower your risk of developing diabetes

The most important point for lowering your risk of diabetes is to understand your risk factors - family medical history is an essential aspect to know. For diabetes prevention is the best solution. Read further to know what you can do to lower your risks:

• Create a well-balanced, nutritious meal plan

• Time your meals and eat in controlled portions

• Avoid carbs, refined sugars, saturated fats and processed foods

• Maintain a healthy weight

• Keep yourself physically active, even if it is walking for 30 minutes

• Exercise at least 5 days a week

• Get full body health checkup done annually

• If you are at high risk for diabetes, get blood sugar tests done every 3 months

 

A fitness checkup has the tests that can analyze the sugar levels in your bloodstream and inform you how your insulin function is performing. Book it now to understand your risk levels and modify your lifestyle to prevent diabetes and other critical health conditions.

How Much Exercise Should You Do If You Have Type 2 Diabetes?

It is important to be physically active if you have an existing lifestyle health condition like type 2 diabetes. At least 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week is recommended to keep your body functions healthy and maintain an ideal weight. Exercising is an important part of managing your blood sugar and keeping diabetes in control.

 

Why is diabetes management important for your health?

Diabetes, if not controlled, can affect the other functions of your body, hence managing your blood glucose levels is very important. You need to maintain your blood sugar level along with your blood pressure and cholesterol levels to prevent other chronic health conditions that can develop when you have diabetes.

 

Ideal workouts for diabetes management

Your workout routine should be tailored to meet the specific needs of your body, age and existing health conditions. 

• Aerobic exercises - they require repeated movements of your large muscle groups. Walking, jogging, cycling, and swimming are some aerobic exercises. 

• Resistance training - these are strength training exercises that include using weights, like weight machines or resistance bands. 

• Flexibility exercises - they help in improving your range of motion around the joints of your bones. They also give your body the perfect balance and prevent falls.

 

If you were recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetics, it is quite possible you have been living a sedentary lifestyle. You need to start exercising - start slow and increase gradually.

 

Recommended lifestyle actions to prevent or manage type 2 diabetes

• Maintain a healthy body weight

• Be physically active - exercise daily

• Consume a nutritious diet

• Cut out junk foods and sugar

• Stop smoking

• Get yourself screened every 6 months

 

Regular full body health checkups are essential for the prevention of type 2 diabetes. In case you already have diabetes, you should plan the frequency of your health screenings with your doctor to prevent other chronic lifestyle diseases. Book your health checkup now.

What Is The Relationship Between DNA And Diabetes?

What causes diabetes? Why do some people in the same family develop diabetes even though they all follow the same lifestyle? The answer to this is - DNA.

 Your DNA can increase your risk of diabetes.

 

Genetics and type 2 diabetes

People who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, there’s always someone in their family who has diabetes, especially one of their parents or siblings. The gene mutations linked to diabetes can interact with your environment and lifestyle to further raise your risk.

 

However, not everyone who has a mutation will develop diabetes. 

 

Genes behind type 2 diabetes

Mutations in any of the genes that are involved in controlling the glucose and insulin levels can increase your risk for type 2 diabetes. Some of them are listed below:

• Gene that affects glucose production, and insulin secretion and regulation

• Gene that helps the movement of glucose into the pancreas

• Gene hormone that is involved in glucose regulation

 

Know your risk for developing type 2 diabetes

These factors can increase your risk for diabetes:

• Having more than one gene mutations related to type 2 diabetes

• Being prediabetic

• Family history of diabetes

• Existing high blood pressure

• Obesity or being overweight

• Ageing 

• Sedentary lifestyle

• Gestational diabetes 

• Having high levels of triglycerides

• Personal history of heart disease or stroke

• Existing polycystic ovary syndrome 

 

Know your risk for type 2 diabetes with genetic testing 

Your genetic test can provide important insights about how your DNA influences your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes and report your risk score and recommendations for it.

Your report lists your genetic risk for 30+ chronic health conditions along with more knowledge about signs and symptoms, associated diseases, and risk factors associated with that condition. The report also has recommendations for diagnostic screenings and lifestyle actions that help you be proactive about managing your health. Genetic testing is an important tool for early detection, prevention, and treatment. 

 

Know your genetic risk score for diabetes now.

Unlock Your Fitness Potential With DNAwise Genetic Test

 

Genetic testing can help you achieve your fitness goals by planning the best possible regime and diet suitable for your body.  DNAwise genetic test is an advanced preventive healthcare solution that helps you in planning your fitness and diet that is effective for you. If you have been wondering why the same type of exercises have different results on different people - genetics is the answer to it. Everyone has different requirements due to the minor genetic difference. Your genes influence a lot of factors that affect your health and fitness like endurance, fat loss, muscle strength and injury.

Here is how DNAwise genetic test can help you personalize your lifestyle according to your genes, and live a healthier life by understanding your:

Body and its needs: To reach your optimal fitness performance, you need efficient training and a nutritious diet - this can only be achieved when you have a deep understanding of your body. DNAwise helps you create an effective training routine, and a food plan that nourishes your body by guiding you about your personal genetics, health and environmental components. 

Metabolism: Some gene variants impact on the way you metabolize certain nutrients - which also affect how these nutrients fuel your body while you exercise. Your rate of metabolism is important for managing your body weight. With this kind of information, you can personalize your training and diet plans to bring out the strengths of your body.

Exercise ability and endurance performance: You can lower your risk of exercise induced injuries if you are aware that you have an increased likelihood of injury. A genetic test also guides you about your nutrient metabolism, musculoskeletal structure, ability to gain muscle mass, and oxygen utilization.

Body’s response to exercise and weight loss/gain: Your genetic build influences your weight loss or gain in response to exercise. Knowing your genetic traits related to fitness helps you in making a fitness plan using exercises that can produce the most benefit.

Effect of exercise on your body’s health: DNAwise helps you know how you can lower your risk for various health conditions like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers. Not just that, your genetic test report informs you about the best ways of maintaining your weight, increasing your energy, strengthening bone density, and improve the quality of your sleep.

Your genetic test report can be your fitness coach. In case your report shows that you are predisposed to iron sensitivity or salt induced increase in blood pressure, you can manage such nutrition issues by modifying your food intake to prevent stress on your heart. This can be critically important if your report also says you have a high genetic risk of heart disease. 

 

Interested in understanding more about your genetics and improving your fitness plans? Get your own DNAwise genetic test kit.