According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes was the seventh most leading cause of death in the United States in the year of 2010. Also stated by the American Diabetes Association in 2010, more than 200,000 death certificates had diabetes mentioned as the leading cause of death. People with diabetes are at risk of having a shorter life span, and it is said that someone who has the disease is expected to live ten years less than someone who does not. However, many factors can play a role in how long or short someone with diabetes lives. My dad has taken advantage of some of the beneficial factors which are keeping him alive …show more content…
The biggest key factor in staying healthy is maintaining a healthy diet and getting plenty of exercise. However, some diabetes patients may lean more towards taking medications for their disease. Exercise and change of diet are beneficial due to less amounts of glucose present in the body. Exercising helps keep the levels of sugar at a minimum, and not consuming as much sugar keeps the levels normal as well. With less glucose, less insulin is needed, and with less fats and glucose, the body becomes more sensitive to insulin. Diet and exercise can greatly reduce the symptoms and risk factors of having type 2 diabetes. However, this isn’t the only way to lower risks. Medicine can help as well. Most people who become diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are prescribed an oral medication called Metformin. This medicine is used to treat high blood sugar levels in the body. My dad started out on this medicine when he was diagnosed, but he has since then switched to two different types of medicine called NovoLog and Lantis. NovoLog works like most insulin medicines, but it acts more quickly. My dad typically takes this one before meals. Lantis works like a syringe; it is composed of small doses of insulin that my dad injects into his lower stomach when his sugar is