Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes differ significantly. Type 1 Diabetes results from the inability to produce insulin, while Type 2 Diabetes involves a reduced response to insulin and often insufficient insulin production later in life.
If you’re unsure about having diabetes, recognizing the early signs and symptoms of Type 2 diabetes is essential:
- Frequent Urination
- Increase Thirst
- Constant Hunger
- Constant Tiredness
- Blurry Vision
- Slow Healing of Cuts/Wounds
- Tingling, Numbness or Pain In Hands or Feet
- Patches of Dark Skin
- Itching and Yeast Infections
Type 2 diabetes centers around the effective use of insulin, which means your body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it properly. By the time Type 2 diabetes is officially diagnosed, your body may have been experiencing insulin function decline or reduced insulin supply for an extended period. Doctors aim to preserve pancreatic beta function to delay insulin use as much as possible.
Insulin is a very important hormone that is made in and secreted from your pancreas. Insulin has the “power” to “open the door” to your cells and allow glucose (your body’s main form of energy) to enter into the cells and supply them with energy. If your body’s insulin isn’t functioning properly, then the “door” to your body’s cells won’t open up to let the glucose enter. Without glucose, your cells won’t get the energy they need to function properly. Many people refer to insulin as a “key” to the cells, and without this “key” the glucose will remain waiting, forming a crowd, outside of the cells since there’s no other way for glucose to get inside the cells except for through the locked door