Diabetes Care

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when your blood sugar levels are consistently too high. Your pancreas produces a hormone called insulin, which helps move sugar from the food you eat into your cells for energy. If your pancreas can’t create insulin or doesn’t use it efficiently, sugar can build up in your blood. This leads to diabetes, which can raise your risk of serious complications, including nerve damage, limb loss, vision problems, and heart disease.

What are the different types of diabetes?

There are three main types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes

If you have Type 1 diabetes, you typically find out during childhood or young adulthood. This type of diabetes involves regular insulin injections because your pancreas doesn’t produce the hormone on its own.

Type 2 diabetes

The most common type of diabetes, Type 2 diabetes can develop at any time. It most often affects people during middle age, if your pancreas no longer uses insulin efficiently. The most common risks for Type 2 diabetes include obesity, poor diet, high cholesterol, and physical inactivity.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and typically resolves itself once you give birth. However, it also raises your risk of Type 2 diabetes later in life.

What are the symptoms of diabetes?

Rising blood sugar levels associated with diabetes can cause the following symptoms:

• Increased hunger and thirst
• Blurred vision
• Unintended weight loss
• Frequent urination
• Fatigue
• Slow-healing sores

Diabetes also raises your risk of infection, particularly urinary tract infections (UTIs) and yeast infections.

How can I manage diabetes care?

Diabetes is a chronic condition that requires routine management. The best way to manage your diabetes symptoms and prevent complications is to improve your overall health. A low-sugar, low-sodium diet can help you lose weight and reduce your diabetes symptoms. 

Along with a healthy diet, regular exercise can help lower your cholesterol levels. High cholesterol leads to fatty deposits in your blood vessels, which can clog your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. 

Dr. Tavani recommends quitting smoking and reducing your consumption of alcohol if you have diabetes. To reduce high cholesterol and manage your blood sugar levels, he may also add medication to your diabetes care plan.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Tavani, call Battlefield Family Medicine & Weight Management or book online now.

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