It is important to understand that diabetes is a very common disease but every person diagnosed should receive indvidualized care by a medical professional.

Your need to control glucose (blood sugar) levels is the primary goal of any diabetes treatment. It is of the utmost importance that you monitor your blood sugar levels regularly. There are many devices that can help you with this and they become less invasive as technology advances.

Type 2 diabetes can sometimes be treated with oral medication and may not require the injection of insulin. These medications serve to decrease glucose excretion from the liver or increase insulin sensitivity and output from the pancreas along with diminishing the absorption of carbohydrates from the intestine.

Some of the frequently used medications along with their effects are shown in the following table:

Treatment	Purpose
Metformin	Improves sensitivy to insulin and lowers glucose production in the liver.
Sulfonylureas	Help your body secrete more insulin.
Meglitinides	A faster acting way to stimulate your pancrease to secrete more insulin.
Thiazolidinediones	Make the body's tissues more sensitive to insulin. *These have been linked to weight gain and increased risk of heart failure and fractures*
DPP-4 Inhibitors	Help reduce blood sugar levels but do not have a huge effect.
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists	Slow digestion and help lower blood sugar levels.
SGLT2 Inhibitors	Prevent the reabsorption of sugar into the blood through the kidneys.

The most common medical treatment is insulin therapy, however. Although this used to be a last resort, today it is the primary treatment due to its benefits. Insulin is injected directly into your body either through the use of a 'pen', a syringe, or a relatively new invention known as a 'pump'.

Are there any natural ways to decrease the severity of your diabetic symptoms? Find out more about dietary considerations that can help you in our next post!