Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, it accounts for 90% of the diabetes cases. Even though 17 million Americans have type 2 diabetes, and it is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, only half of these people know that they are diabetic. There are many factors for the widespread growth of this disease that range from diet, lack of exercise and genetics. However, there is hope, with the help of your doctor, nutritionists and personal trainer; it can be a manageable disease.

What makes type 2 diabetes different than type 1 diabetes is not lack of insulin production, although with time this can develop. The first stage in type 2 diabetes is the condition called insulin resistance. Insulin is an important hormone that transports sugar in the form of glucose, which is the main source of cellular energy, into the cells. Diabetes is a very serious condition, if it is left untreated, blood glucose levels rise too high. High glucose and out of control diabetes wreaks havoc on the body by both starving the cells of energy, as well as damaging eyes, kidneys, nerves and the cardiovascular system.

While there are some people who have type 2 diabetes in its early stages experience no noticeable physical symptoms, others suffer from some of the most common symptoms of type 2 diabetes which are increased thirst, increased urination, fatigue, kidney damage, increased appetite, blurry vision, slow healing wounds and erectile dysfunction in men.

Some of the risk factors for those who are most likely to develop type 2 diabetes are: Genetics, having a close family member with diabetes; Obesity, those who are overweight are much more likely to become diabetic; African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are most likely to develop the disease; Those over 45 are more likely to be diabetic; and Hypertension

Blood glucose monitoring is an essential tool in blood sugar management. Testing your blood glucose tells you your blood glucose level at any one time. It is also important to keep a log of your results. You should then bring this record to your health care provider. Doing this will help you have a good picture of your bodys response to your diabetes care plan. Blood glucose checks also help you to know what diet or medicine changes are working and what is not working. This will allow you and your doctor, nutritionist, dietary educator to make necessary changes.