Diabetes

What is diabetes?

Your body uses a hormone called insulin to convert glucose — blood sugar — into energy. Diabetes is a condition that interferes with that process, either stopping your body from producing insulin or preventing it from working correctly in your body.

There are several types of diabetes. Type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes are the most common forms of the disease. 

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes occurs when your pancreas doesn’t produce insulin. Medical researchers believe that an autoimmune disease destroys the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. In most cases, a type 1 diabetes diagnosis occurs in childhood.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes develops as your body stops being able to use insulin effectively. Genetic factors contribute to type 2 diabetes, although lifestyle factors such as your diet and exercise habits also contribute to the disease. While a diagnosis for type 2 diabetes is most common in adulthood, younger patients are developing the condition more often.

Gestational diabetes

A hormone produced by the placenta triggers gestational diabetes. The condition usually emerges during the second trimester of pregnancy and disappears soon after giving birth. However, gestational diabetes may increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future. 

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

While type 1 diabetes symptoms come on suddenly, type 2 diabetes doesn’t cause any noticeable symptoms, especially in its early stages. In fact, around a quarter of Americans who have diabetes, don’t know it. However, you may develop symptoms, including:

• Increased thirst and hunger
• Frequent urination
• Fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Slowly healing wounds
• Itchiness
• Yeast infections
• Skin changes
• Numbness and tingling in your hands and feet
  
  

It’s critical to have routine blood panels at Stoneleigh Medical Group that test your glucose levels so your provider can monitor your health and diabetes risk.

How is diabetes treated?

Stoneleigh Medical Group provides customized treatments for diabetes, depending on the type of disease you have, and its stage. 

For example, if you have prediabetes, early-stage type 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes, you may be able to regulate your blood sugar with changes to your diet and exercise. Cutting extra sugar, refined carbohydrates, and alcohol out of your diet reduces the amount of sugar in your system that your body needs to process. 

Additionally, adding physical activity to your day can help your body convert sugar more effectively. Even taking a 20-minute walk after a meal can lower your blood sugar levels. 

The team also offers customized weight management programs. Losing weight and maintaining a healthy body weight can help you control your diabetes symptoms or even prevent prediabetes. 

However, if you have type 1 diabetes or your condition is too advanced, you may need to take insulin to provide your body with what it requires to function correctly. 

For expert diabetes management, call Stoneleigh Medical Group or make an appointment online today.