Diabetes

What is diabetes?

If you have diabetes, your blood sugar is at higher levels than normal.

Glucose, or blood sugar, comes from the food you eat and is your body’s source of energy. If you have diabetes, the insulin produced in your pancreas doesn’t regulate your blood sugar correctly, and there’s too much in your system.

There are several types of diabetes:

• Gestational diabetes: develops in pregnancy but resolves after delivery
• Type 1: often genetic and seen in children, your pancreas doesn’t produce insulin
• Type 2: common in adults, directly linked to obesity and sedentary lifestyles

Prediabetes, or insulin resistance, can lead to Type 2 diabetes.

What is prediabetes?

Insulin resistance is often the first stage of Type 2 diabetes. If you have insulin resistance, your liver, muscle, and fat cells don’t use your insulin effectively and prompt your pancreas to produce more. Eventually, your pancreas can’t produce enough insulin to keep up with the demand and your blood sugar rises.

Prediabetes increases your risk of having Type 2 diabetes as well as other serious health issues like heart disease and stroke.

What causes Type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes and is also called hyperglycemia. This form of diabetes is caused by being overweight, obese, and physical inactivity as well as having a family history of the condition.

In addition to lifestyle and genetics, you’re more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes if you’re over 45 years of age.

What are the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes?

Diabetes doesn’t always cause symptoms. When they’re present, they’re often mild and appear slowly over time.

Common Type 2 diabetes symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Unexplained weight loss
• Increased hunger, thirst, and urination
• Tingling or numbness in the lower extremities

People with Type 2 diabetes often develop other diabetes-related health conditions like heart disease and stroke, hypertension, nerve damage, and kidney disease.

How do you treat Type 2 diabetes?

Lifestyle changes can often resolve Type 2 diabetes. Our team works closely with you to develop a personalized Type 2 diabetes care plan that includes:

• Losing weight and belly fat
• Increasing your physical activity
• Creating a custom exercise program to perform in office
• Eating healthy low-fat foods that are high in fiber

In addition to lifestyle changes, Type 2 diabetes sometimes requires medication or insulin to manage your blood sugar levels.

We service patients from all over the DFW area including North Dallas, Addison, Carrollton, Plano, Garland, Irving, Allen, Richardson, and University Park, Highland Park, Frisco and McKinney. 

Call Posture Perfect Wellness Center or schedule an appointment online today to learn more about diabetes management.

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