You can find so many people talking about type 2 diabetes medications. Diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, has nowadays become a common health problem, and it can always be described a lifestyle disease. If you cannot effectively manage type 2 diabetes, you will be putting your life in serious danger. Managing type 2 diabetes involves eating healthy, proper exercise, diabetes medication, or insulin therapy if required and timely blood sugar monitoring. These steps allow you to maintain your blood sugar levels, and this helps in delaying or preventing diabetes-related health complications.

What does it mean by eating healthy?
Many people think that healthy eating means following a diet meant for diabetic patients.

Think about low glycemic index foods
Low glycemic index foods are always beneficial if you suffering from diabetes. The glycemic index can be described as a measure of the speed at which a food leads to a rise in your blood sugar. High glycemic index foods increase your blood sugar immediately.

Seek the help of a dietitian
An experienced dietician can help you develop a good meal plan for maintaining your health. He/she will show you ways to control the intake of carbohydrates, and you can come to know how much carbohydrates you must consume with your snacks and meals for keeping your blood sugar levels in control.

Get engaged in physical activity
If you have type 2 diabetes, you have to exercise regularly and aerobic exercise is the best option. You can select activities that you enjoy. For example, some people prefer walking while some others like swimming or dancing. The most critical thing is that you need to make physical activity an integral part of your daily routine. Your activity must last at least 30 minutes a day and five days a week. You can also do strength training and stretching exercises. If you can combine aerobic exercises with resistance training or yoga twice a week, controlling blood sugar becomes an uncomplicated process. Physical activity allows you to lower blood sugar.

A brief overview on type 2 diabetes medications

Which are the most common type 2 diabetes medications?
Some people can manage to control their blood sugar levels with exercise and diet. However, some people require type 2 diabetes medications or even insulin therapy to control the blood sugar levels.

Metformin is one of the most popular medications recommended for type 2 diabetes. It improves the sensitivity of your body so that your body can use insulin with better efficiency. This medication for type 2 diabetes also reduces glucose production in the liver. Sulfonylureas are another types of medications for type 2 diabetes that assist your body to secrete insulin. Some of the medications that come under this category are glipizide, glyburide, and glimepiride. Another group of medications for type 2 diabetes that doctors often prescribe is called Meglitinides. They function like sulfonylureas by encouraging the pancreas for secreting added amounts of insulin. Thiazolidinediones are another kind of medication for type 2 diabetes available, and they make the tissues more sensitive to insulin. Some doctors prescribe DPP-4 inhibitors and these medications for type 2 diabetes reduce blood sugar levels in a moderate way. Another category of type 2 diabetes medications is known as GLP-1 receptor agonists and they get engaged in the process of lowering digestion to reduce blood sugar levels. When it comes to Exenatide and liraglutide, they also come under the category of GLP-1 receptor agonists. Finally, SGLT2 inhibitors are an option and these medications work by safeguarding the kidneys from absorbing sugar into the blood.

Insulin therapy
Insulin therapy offers excellent results for some people. Earlier, this therapy was used when all other methods fail but insulin therapy has become a common option these days because of the excellent benefits it offers. Since normal digestion intervenes with the orally taken insulin, you can inject insulin to make the treatment more effective. Based on your condition, the doctor prescribes a combination of insulin types that can be used as needed. You need a fine needle and a syringe for taking insulin or an insulin pen injector can be used.

According to the treatment plan you follow, you are required to check and record the blood sugar levels frequently. If you are taking several times a day, you must discuss with your doctor how often you must monitor the blood sugar. Proper monitoring always ensures that your blood sugar level is kept at a balanced level. Great amount of unpredictability can be associated with blood sugar levels, and you must follow a good treatment plan to balance your blood glucose levels.