Diabetes is a disease that increasing numbers of people across the United States are developing, and it requires expert management to prevent the potentially devastating complications it can cause. If you have diabetes or want to arrange a screening test, Ronald Lester, MD, Jessica Nguyen, DO, and the team at Kokoro Health & Wellness can help. The team has considerable experience in assisting people with the management of their diabetes, and they provide compassionate, confidential service where the patient always comes first. Find out more by calling the office in Dallas, Texas, today or book an appointment online.
Diabetes is a disorder that develops when your body doesn’t have the right amount of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that you need to regulate the levels of sugar in your blood. Without insulin, your blood sugar levels can fluctuate, which causes serious complications.
There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition that develops because your pancreas can’t make insulin at all. In autoimmune disorders, your immune system starts attacking cells and tissues as if they were harmful invaders. With Type 1 diabetes, your body destroys the cells in your pancreas that make insulin.
If you have Type 1 diabetes, you’ll need to take insulin and measure your blood sugar levels regularly.
With Type 2 diabetes, the body doesn't produce enough insulin or it doesn't respond properly to the insulin it does have.
A number of factors can contribute to the development of Type 2 diabetes. Being overweight can cause problems with insulin that lead to the condition, and genetics may play a role in some cases.
Other risk factors include:
Type 2 diabetes is more common in older people, but anyone who's overweight, even young children, can develop diabetes. You’re more likely to get Type 2 diabetes if other members of your family have it, but you can still work toward preventing it by leading a healthier lifestyle.
The most important part of your diabetes treatment is controlling your blood sugar, and making changes to your lifestyle can help. These changes may include:
Kokoro Health & Wellness can help you with these changes, providing dietary counseling and assisting you with weight loss, quitting smoking, and reducing alcohol consumption.
These actions can help prevent Type 2 diabetes, and possibly even reverse it in the prediabetes stage.
If you already have diabetes, leading a healthier lifestyle helps with blood sugar management and makes you less likely to develop complications of diabetes, which include:
As part of your treatment, you may need to take medication or use insulin to regulate your blood glucose. You also need to monitor your blood glucose levels and see Kokoro Health & Wellness for regular check-ups.
Call Kokoro Health & Wellness today to find out more or book an appointment online.
