Type 2 diabetes

Joining us as guest blogger is Jill Knapp. Jill is from Idaho, where she lost 100 pounds after being diagnosed with gestational diabetes while pregnant. Today, she manages her diabetes with diet and exercise and without medication. Jill’s goal is to keep generating awareness about Type 2 diabetes and encouraging others to “Get Up and Get Moving.” I competed in the Mrs. Idaho pageant, made the top 5 and the reason I competed is to spread my message more.

Jill Knapp: Before/After Losing 100 Pounds

Like many other pregnant mothers, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes when I had my last child at age 37. I was suffering from fatigue and headaches after childbirth. My son was born very ill and I thought my own health symptoms were just the result of taking care of a sick newborn. My husband encouraged me to go see my doctor to find out what was causing the headaches. After taking a few tests, I was confirmed as a Type 2 diabetic.

Like anyone else hearing this new for the first time, I was in shock.  It took about 24 hours for me to establish an action plan as I did not want this for myself nor for my family. So I gradually began to exercise and eat six small meals a day. Over time, I lost 100 pounds and successfully brought my diabetes under control.

As more of our population become obese and overweight, obesity diseases become much more prevalent. Diabetes is one such disease, and here I explain what it is, why it affects the overweight, symptoms and prevention.

What is it?
Obesity can lead to diabetes, specifically type 2 diabetes.  Type 2 diabetes, once called adult-onset and non-insulin dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition affecting the way your body metabolizes glucose/sugar.  With type 2 diabetes, your body still produces insulin (a hormone that regulates the absorption of sugar into your cells), but your body has either become resistant to its effects or you can not produce enough insulin to maintain a normal glucose level.  Left uncontrolled, the consequences of type 2 diabetes can be life threatening.

Why is it affected by obesity/overweight?
Obesity is a culprit to type 2 diabetes.  With obesity, you are consuming calories beyond your caloric needs, therefore having more glucose in your body that your insulin is incapable of moving it into your cells.  There is plenty of evidence showing that excessive abdominal fat and physical inactivity (both seen in obesity) is a major precursor to type 2 diabetes.