Health

Living With Diabetes

Can diet control both types of diabetes?

There are two types of diabetes. Both are different diseases with similar symptoms. The first type is a disease of pancreatic failure, where the pancreas stops releasing insulin in response to eating carbohydrates. The second type is a disease of insulin resistance, or insulin insufficiency.

Both diseases result in chronic high blood sugar, and both diseases cause medical complications because of high blood sugar. With Type 1 diabetes, you always need injected insulin for treatment; people with Type 2 diabetes can often control their blood sugar with a combination of diet and exercise and sometimes oral medications.

Diet is very important for both types. Approximately 80 percent or more of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight, and health experts associate excess weight with the development of Type 2 diabetes. Eating the right amount of food is crucial for people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. For those who must take injections, insulin has to be monitored with food eaten.

All people with diabetes need to stay at a healthy weight, include whole grains, fruits and vegetables daily and balance meals with healthy protein and fat.