You had no idea you were pre-diabetic or had type 2 diabetes.
 And you had no idea diabetes of any kind was in your family yet, here you are, recently diagnosed.
  What is it and what are you supposed to do? Type 2 diabetes is:

• now the more common form of diabetes
• affects 85-90% of all people with diabetes
• a condition of lifestyle
• occurs mostly in adults with a family history of diabetes
• is increasingly being found in young inactive adults

In type 1 diabetes the immune system mistakes its own pancreas for foreign tissue and destroys the beta cells.
 So naturally, people with this disease produce almost no insulin and require daily injections.
Usually medication is not required in type 2 diabetes as you don't have less insulin than normal, you have more.
  The problem is insulin resistance, which is:            

• the inability of specific doors to open to allow the transfer of sugar into muscle and fat cells
• aggravated by abdominal obesity
• aggravated by lack of physical activity

In order for normal blood sugar levels to be maintained the pancreas secretes more insulin and the result is even higher levels in the blood stream.
 High insulin levels always occurs before high glucose levels.
This cycle just continues and goes around and around...
the pancreas gradually fails to make enough insulin and glucose builds up in the blood stream.
 The initial result is pre-diabetes and if not detected evolves into type 2 diabetes.
Symptoms of insulin resistance and pre-diabetes:

• usually none as blood sugar levels are not high enough
• if you have a severe form you may get dark patches of skin (acanthosis nigricans) on elbows, knees, knuckles and in armpits
• sometimes females get polycystic ovary syndrome.
   Studies show 30-40% of females with polycystic ovary syndrome have pre-diabetes and 7-10% have type 2 diabetes.
  

Weight loss and regular physical activity to improve insulin sensitivity is the main treatment.