It is important to understand what kind of diabetes you have. Diabetes comes in two forms, commonly called Type 1 and Type 2.  The more serious and difficult to treat form is Type 1, which results in an inability by the body to produce any significant amount of insulin.  Therefore injections of insulin have to be made on a regular basis. It is not uncommon for Type 1 to surface before the age of 20, and while the causes of diabetes symptoms are not fully understood, suspected factors include chemicals, toxins and bacteria. Some suspect that drinking cow’s milk as an infant can increase the risk of developing diabetes later in life.

The other form of diabetes, Type 2, is easier to treat because the causes are better understood and there are known ways to minimize the symptoms. Ninety percent of all diabetics are in the Type 2 category. In eighty percent of the cases, being overweight is the number one factor leading to diabetes symptoms.   Unless proper action is taken, Type 2 diabetes will eventually evolve into the more dangerous Type 1 form.

Sadly, there is no known cure for diabetes. But fortunately both forms of diabetes, and especially Type 2, can be controlled by a variety of means. Chief among them are diet and exercise. Certain foods are known to be especially difficult to diabetics to handle, so knowing what foods your body handles best is a key component to maximizing insulin effectiveness.  Since, being overweight is the main reason for most Type 2 diabetes, having a sensible diet is also crucial to successfully losing any excess weight.  Proper exercise is also extremely important in successful weight control and helping to prevent the blood circulation problems that sometimes arise with diabetes. Diabetes is a killer so please take note.

A proper diet, losing weight, exercising more and stopping smoking should all be the aims of a diabetes type 2 sufferer. When following a diabetes type two diet, emphasis is always placed on carbohydrate consumption.

As type 2 diabetics have to maintain low blood glucose levels, they have to limit their consumption of foods high in carbohydrates. Foods full of sugar like chocolate, most breads, sweets, cakes and biscuits are full of carbohydrates and are called simple carbohydrates.

Some other foods such as grains and cereals are high in complex carbohydrates which are much better for the diabetic than simple carbohydrates. Basically this type of food breaks down glucose much slower than simple carbohydrates do.

Besides complex carbohydrates, the diabetes diet should include lots of fruit, vegetables and proteins from eggs, lean meat cuts and dairy products. All this maintains a healthy and varied balance in the diet.

A dietician is the best person to give you advice on starting a type two diabetes diet. They not only provide advice on the right foods to eat, they also take your overall health profile in consideration to choose the right foods that help you enjoy your food while maintaining health.

Exercising regularly is also a requisite for all type 2 diabetes sufferers. Exercises like walking, jogging, gym sessions and even playing with kids help in improving the body’s sensitivity to insulin in a type 2 diabetic.