But First: What Is Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes (T2D), also known as diabetes mellitus type 2, is a type of diabetes in which glucose builds up in the bloodstream due to insulin resistance and low insulin levels.

Insulin, which you can learn about here, is the hormone that regulates blood sugar.

But let's dig a bit deeper, as far back as the ancient Egyptian pyramids. While most people refer to it today as T2D, diabetes mellitus type 2, as it's scientifically recognized, has a very intriguing etymology.

Egyptian manuscripts dating back to 1500 B.C. (😱) record the symptoms of a deadly disease that caused frequent urination and unquenchable thirst.

Around the same time, Indian physicians were seeing the same no-name killer. Victims' urine attracted ants and flies, which eventually spurred those same physicians to coin the term madhumeha, or ‘honey urine.'

From Madhumeha to Mellitus

Fast forward (and move your maps 🗺) to Greece in the 1st Century AD.

Greek physician Aretaeus of Cappadocia (others argue it was Apollonius of Memphis) coins the word diabetes, the Greek word for siphon (to pass through).

Then, in 1978, British Surgeon-General John Rollo adds Latin term mellitus ("of or pertaining to honey") to create the terminology as we know it today: diabetes mellitus (sweet siphon), type 1 and type 2.

Currently, there is no cure for type 2 diabetes.

But you can manage type 2 diabetes well and avoid complications with a good diet, regular exercise, and, in most cases, some medication (e.g., metformin, insulin, etc.).

Anyone can live a long and healthy life with type 2 diabetes! The key is keeping blood glucose in range and sticking to a mindful, healthy lifestyle.

The Ultimate Guide to Type 2 Diabetes

In order to manage diabetes well, it's important to understand exactly how diabetes works.

That's why we've created the One Drop Guide to T2D: -- to help you understand the basics of type 2 diabetes (including the role of the pancreas and insulin), to show you ways you can help your body achieve balance, and lower your blood sugar levels.  

Enjoy!