Sugar is forever taboo, a strict diet is a must until the end of life, the gym becomes a second home and insulin injections are unavoidable – this is how many imagine life after the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Later there is a risk of blindness and kidney failure, at some point the feet will be amputated.
Type 2 diabetes is undoubtedly a serious disease, but it is often not an inevitable fate. New scientific findings and therapeutic approaches open up the prospect of a good life with diabetes for many of those affected – without too drastic restrictions.
Our advice
Those affected should know their risk of consequential damage. The therapy is based on this. come first Weight loss and exercise programs and one for diabetics adapted diet. medication used when nothing else helps. Our Drugs under Test database offers in-depth information on the drug treatment of diabetes. Important: Participate and have a say. How to keep type 2 diabetes at bay.
At eye level with the experts
Good news: According to current research, for those who are slightly overweight it is enough to maintain their weight instead of losing pounds radically. A study by researchers from the USA and Mexico has shown that even brisk walks can have a positive effect on blood sugar levels. Medications come into play when all other options, such as exercise and an appropriate diet, have been exhausted.
This is also what the recommendations of the new national care guideline for type 2 diabetes envisage. The first part was published in September 2021 by the German Medical Association, the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians and the Working Group of Scientific Medical Societies. Further recommendations are currently being developed. The guideline does not contain any mandatory regulations, but rather decision-making aids for doctors.
Decide on treatment together
Those affected work out their own treatment together and on an equal footing with specialists. Nothing works without their consent. Even if additional medication becomes necessary, those affected should have a say.
Tipp: Our freshly updated “Type 2 Diabetes” guide is based on the guideline and offers in-depth information and tips, for example on measuring blood sugar.
Important: lower blood sugar levels
The common goal of patient and doctor is to lower the blood sugar level – because it gets out of control in diabetics.
Glucose in the blood – also known as glucose – is vital: it provides the energy for important organ functions. It enters the body through food, and the organ cells absorb it with the help of the body’s own messenger substance, insulin. In people suffering from type 2 diabetes, the cells become increasingly resistant to insulin and allow less and less glucose through. The sugar stays in the blood and drives up the values permanently. The cause of the disease is hereditary predisposition, often aggravated by obesity and lack of exercise.
Know Blutzuckerwerte
There is no ideal blood sugar level that applies to everyone. The value of the long-term blood sugar – also known as the HbA1c value – provides orientation. It shows the percentage of sugar in the blood over the past eight to twelve weeks. The value should be around 6.5 percent for people who have many years ahead of them when they are fasting, i.e. before a meal. It naturally increases by about 0.4 to 0.6 percentage points with age.
For younger type 2 diabetics, it is advisable to aim for a value below 6.5 to prevent later consequential damage. For older sufferers with a long medical history, the value should not be reduced below 7.5 percent.
Tipp: Always discuss with your doctor which target value is important for you.
The very personal way to the goal
The individual ideal value can be achieved by many means. Anyone who enjoys running or swimming can make this a daily routine. If you ride an e-bike, you can switch to a bike without a motor for short distances. Special diabetic cooking courses provide information on how to change your diet without sacrificing something tasty.
Tipp: Find out with your doctor which way is best for you. Our updated guide “Eating well with diabetes” offers tips on how to adjust your diet with 80 varied recipes such as crispy fish with ratatouille.
Assess possibilities realistically
No matter how someone tries to keep diabetes in check – the measures should fit into everyday life and be realistically feasible. In regular discussions, patient and doctor find out honestly and without mutual reproaches what works – and if necessary renegotiate the goals: there are enough tools.
Some want to take the big hammer to cure diabetes. A recent study by researchers from Newcastle University with 298 overweight participants raises hope: after a strict diet, almost every second person was no longer diagnosed with diabetes. The study cannot prove whether this is permanent. Some experts take a critical view of such drastic measures, since only a few are likely to be able to sustain them in the long term.
Ultimately, those affected must decide for themselves which goals they want to achieve and by what means.