Diabetes

Diabetes affects the body’s ability to use sugar (glucose) from food into its cells and use it for energy. This results in a buildup of extra sugar in the bloodstream.

While there is increased sugar in the blood, unfortunately, there is a lack of sugar in the cells due to either a lack of insulin or decreased sensitivity to insulin.

Poorly controlled diabetes can lead to severe consequences, causing damage to a wide range of your body’s organs and tissues – including the heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves.

There are three primary types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.

• Type 1 diabetes
  Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This type of diabetes usually develops during childhood or adolescence and requires insulin injections to manage blood glucose. 
• Type 2 diabetes
  With Type 2 diabetes, your insulin isn’t functioning like normal, causing an elevated blood glucose level. Type 2 diabetes affects people of all ages, but it most often occurs in adults.
  Type 2 diabetes is more common than Type 1 diabetes.
• Gestational diabetes
  Gestational diabetes is diabetes diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy (gestation). High blood sugar can affect pregnancy and the baby's health. Gestational diabetes usually resolves after women give birth. However, roughly half of women with gestational diabetes go on to develop Type 2 diabetes.

Prediabetes is common and is a precursor for Type 2 diabetes. While it affects one in three adults, it is reversible. With prediabetes, the blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Prediabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. 

Type 2 diabetes (and prediabetes) can be prevented or even reversed with proven, achievable lifestyle changes, even for those at high risk. Our office is proud to announce a Comprehensive Lifestyle Medicine Program for those interested starting in January 2022.

Treatment and management of diabetes:
The management of diabetes is multifaceted, including pharmacological treatments. Management includes keeping risk factors such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol under control.

Focusing on critical areas, including optimizing diet, getting adequate high-quality sleep, as well as weight, stress, and medication management.

At Germantown Pediatrics and Family Medicine LLC, we are able to focus on a tailored approach to each patient. This goes well beyond telling a patient, “eat well, sleep well and reduce your stress.”

We focus on providing chronic disease management (CCM), scheduling regular visits to monitor your health and blood glucose numbers, and providing the guidance and support you need on your journey to good health.

Call Germantown Pediatric and Family Medicine LLC or schedule your diabetes consultation today.