Type 2 Diabetes

Your treatment for type 2 diabetes will change over time to meet your needs. But the focus of your treatment will always be to keep your blood sugar levels within your Reference target range. That will help prevent complications from type 2 diabetes, such as eye, kidney, heart, blood vessel, and nerve disease.

The keys to managing your type 2 diabetes are to:

• Make healthy food choices and be active. To learn more, see Reference Living With Type 2 Diabetes.
• See your doctor regularly. To help you stay on track with your treatment, you'll need regular tests. For more information, see Reference Exams and Tests.
• Test your blood sugar. It's important to track your blood sugar levels so you know if you are in your target range. For more information, see Reference Living With Type 2 Diabetes.
• Take medicines, if you need them. For more information, see Reference Medications.
• If you smoke, quit. Quitting can help you reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. For help, see the topic Reference Quitting Smoking.
• Keep high blood pressure and high cholesterol under control. Losing weight and getting plenty of Reference exercise, such as walking at least 2½ hours a week, can help lower blood pressure. But you may also need to take medicines, such as an Reference ACE inhibitor or Reference beta-blocker, to achieve your goal.^{Reference 1} You may also need to take cholesterol-lowering medicines called Reference statins.
  • Reference Reference High Blood Pressure: Checking Your Blood Pressure at Home
  • Reference Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) for High Cholesterol

Making big changes like quitting smoking or changing the way you eat is hard. But you can do it if you set small goals and celebrate your successes. For help, see the topic Reference Change a Habit by Setting Goals.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding

Your treatment may change if you get pregnant. For example, some medicines could harm your baby. If your blood sugar gets too high while you're pregnant, your baby might have problems at birth. Talk with your doctor.

Reference Reference Pregnancy and Diabetes: Planning for Pregnancy

And you can successfully Reference breast-feed your baby when you have type 2 diabetes.

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This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Reference Terms of Use. Reference How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.