You may need to make changes in your medication and diet and exercise habits as your condition progresses. Even if your diabetes has been well controlled for years, the condition can still worsen over time, meaning, you may have to adjust your treatment plan more than once.
It's important to manage diabetes because, over time, it can cause serious health problems like heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye problems, and nerve damage that may lead to amputation. Also, people with type 2 diabetes may be at greater risk for cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
Older adults are at high risk for the development of type 2 diabetes due to the combined effects of increasing insulin resistance and impaired pancreatic islet function with aging.
Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition and usually gets worse over time. Making lifestyle changes, such as adjusting your diet and taking more exercise, may help you control your blood glucose levels at first, but may not be enough in the long term.
More than 37 million Americans have diabetes (about 1 in 10), and approximately 90-95% of them have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes most often develops in people over age 45, but more and more children, teens, and young adults are also developing it.
Amongst those who are currently 65 years old, the average man can expect to live until 83 years old and the average woman to live until 85 years old. People with type 1 diabetes have traditionally lived shorter lives, with life expectancy having been quoted as being reduced by over 20 years.
People With Diabetes Can Live Longer by Meeting Their Treatment Goals. Life expectancy can be increased by 3 years or in some cases as much as 10 years. At age 50, life expectancy- the number of years a person is expected to live- is 6 years shorter for people with type 2 diabetes than for people without it.
But yes, it may be possible to put your type 2 diabetes into remission. This is when your blood sugar levels are below the diabetes range and you don't need to take diabetes medication anymore. This could be life-changing.
Blood glucose levels rise and eventually, type 2 diabetes develops. But the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes often can be stopped. One large study, the Diabetes Prevention Program, found that modest lifestyle changes reduced the risk of progression by 71 percent in adults age 60 and older.
In fact, you can be living with type 2 diabetes for years and not know it. When signs and symptoms are present, they may include: Increased thirst. Frequent urination.
Aging can make diabetes more difficult to control. One reason for this is that insulin resistance increases and glucose tolerance decreases with age, but there are other, indirect reasons as well.
People with diabetes are more likely to suffer from high cholesterol and blood pressure, putting us at even higher risk for heart disease and stroke, which shortens life expectancy.
Drinking water regularly may rehydrate the blood, lower blood sugar levels, and reduce diabetes risk ( 20 , 21 ). Keep in mind that water and other zero-calorie drinks are best. Avoid sugar-sweetened options, as these can raise blood glucose, drive weight gain, and increase diabetes risk ( 22 , 23 ).
For people with diabetes, blood sugar can spike. Dehydration—less water in your body means your blood sugar is more concentrated. Nose spray—some have chemicals that trigger your liver to make more blood sugar. Gum disease—it's both a complication of diabetes and a blood sugar spiker.
Drink in Moderation
Most people with diabetes can enjoy some alcohol. Rules are the same as for everyone else: one drink per day for women; two for men. But you need to know how alcohol affects your blood sugar. A sugary drink might spike your blood sugar.
An Exercise Schedule to Reverse Diabetes
The American Diabetes Association suggests getting at least 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity in addition to 2 to 3 sessions of resistance training per week.
Indeed, myocardial infarction is the leading cause of death among individuals with diabetes mellitus.
Type 2 diabetes can have serious health implications that can affect life expectancy. However, with management, many people with diabetes can live long lives.
Stress alone doesn't cause diabetes. But there is some evidence that there may be a link between stress and the risk of type 2 diabetes. Our researchers think that high levels of stress hormones might stop insulin-producing cells in the pancreas from working properly and reduce the amount of insulin they make.