People with diabetes have a blood sugar level which is too high, which is caused by a lack of insulin in the body or the insulin not working properly. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas which helps break down glucose and turns it into energy. Diabetes is broken down into two types, with type 1 being a lifelong condition where the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin.
Meanwhile, type 2 is when the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body's cells do not react to insulin properly. Diabetes UK estimates more than 5.6 million people in the UK are living with diabetes, with around 90% of those being type 2.
You may be more at risk of type 2 diabetes if you are overweight and do not have a healthy diet, so Andrew Isaac, a Vitality Health and Wellness coach, has shared a few lifestyle choices to make to help prevent it. Three lifestyle choices to help prevent diabetes 1. Get active Exercising regularly helps make our body's cells more receptive to insulin which in turn means our body can use glucose more efficiently.
Andrew explained: "It is estimated that 35% of the UK population are currently inactive, which is contributing to declining health and increased levels of non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes, and therefore increased incidence of hospitalisation. "Our research has shown that people can reduce their type 2 diabetes risk by up to 41% by walking 10,000 steps, three times a week, for three years." Regular e.
