Diabetes Specialist

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic disease affecting your body’s ability to effectively convert food into energy. The two primary forms of diabetes prevent normal production and use of insulin. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, moves blood glucose (sugar) into the cells.

Your body needs insulin to move glucose into your cells, which is how cells get the nourishment they need to thrive. People with diabetes have too much glucose circulating in their blood. And their cells aren’t being supplied with the glucose they need for energy.

The two primary forms of diabetes are:

Type 1 diabetes

Those with Type 1 diabetes have an autoimmune condition that prevents normal insulin production. Because they can’t make their own insulin, supplemental insulin is required for survival.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes. It’s characterized by insufficient insulin production or the inability to properly use the insulin produced. Researchers find a clear link between being overweight or obese and Type 2 diabetes.

Some pregnant women develop gestational diabetes during their pregnancy. While the condition usually goes away after giving birth, women who’ve had gestational diabetes are at increased risk throughout their lives of developing Type 2 diabetes.

How is diabetes treated?

How your diabetes is treated will depend on what kind you’re diagnosed with and your overall health. When diabetes is caught in its earliest stage, called pre-diabetes, treatment can prevent the disease from developing further.

Type 1 diabetics must inject themselves every day with insulin to survive. There are many different kinds of insulin to choose from, and it can take some trial and error to find the right kind and amount of insulin to best protect you.

People with Type 2 diabetes can choose from several treatments. Oral medications boost insulin production, and others change how your liver creates and releases glucose. Other medications increase your sensitivity to insulin or change the way your stomach breaks down carbohydrates — nutrients that convert into sugar when they’re digested.

Some Type 2 diabetics also need supplemental insulin. Learning to monitor your insulin levels throughout the day is an essential part of including insulin in your treatment plan.

Insulin is usually taken by injections you give yourself. But your doctor can implant an insulin pump in your abdomen that will deliver regular doses of the hormone.

The best way to treat Type 2 diabetes is to change your lifestyle. Eat right; exercise more; lose weight. These changes are also a great way to reduce your risk of developing diabetes.

What can I do to prevent diabetes?

Meaningful, sustainable lifestyle changes are the best way to lower your risk of developing diabetes. The RescueMD team always includes lifestyle changes in treatment plans for diabetics.

If you’re carrying excess weight, finding a weight loss program that works for you can dramatically reduce your risk of developing diabetes or complications from the disease. RescueMD offers an outstanding medically supervised weight loss program to help you reach and maintain a healthy weight.

Improving your diet is among the best ways to prevent diabetes. Increasing your physical activity levels yields many more benefits, like improved flexibility, improved sleep, and overall improvements in your daily quality of life.

Coming in for routine physical exams is a great way to monitor your overall health and understand your risk of developing diabetes. If you’re ready to learn more about diabetes screening, treatment, and prevention, book a visit online or by phone today.

We are located in Allen, TX but are available to serve patients from Frisco, Mckinney, Plano, Dallas and surrounding areas of Texas