Diabetes is a modern-day health scourge that impacts millions of people each year. Most of the over 30 million diagnosed have type 2 diabetes, while another 84 million are considered prediabetic, or on the threshold of developing full-blown diabetes.
There is good news — you do not have to become part of these statistics. There are steps you can take to combat prediabetes and stave off diabetes for the long term. Dr. John Monroe, Dr. Natalie Lake, and our team at Healthy Life Family Medicine help patients from throughout Goodyear, Arizona, to live long and happy lives free of diabetes.
If you already have diabetes, we can help you manage your disease, so you, too, can live a better quality of life. There are steps everyone can take to prevent diabetes, manage it better, and even reverse it, in some cases. Let us show you how.
Type 2 diabetes affects how your body handles insulin. Your body actually becomes insulin resistant. This is a problem because insulin is a vital hormone that regulates the levels of glucose (sugar) in your blood.
Because your body is resisting the glucose in your blood, your pancreas reacts by producing even more of it. This is still not enough to handle the glucose, leaving you with too high a level in your bloodstream, which affects virtually every other part of your body.
Untreated type 2 diabetes can often lead to heart attack, stroke, peripheral neuropathy, and vision loss. Plus, high glucose levels affect every other organ in your body, causing undue stress on them, which can lead to further health complications.
This is why Dr. Monroe and Dr. Lake recommend some lifestyle changes that anyone can adopt to combat this condition. After a comprehensive exam and testing, we often suggest these adaptations to our patients who are diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes.
Being overweight, and obesity, are the largest risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes. Losing some weight, even just a few pounds, can help. We understand that losing weight for some people is difficult. Our team can help by recommending dietary changes, exercise options, and other assistance.
A research study shows that a low-calorie weight loss program can actually help you reverse diabetes, effectively putting it into remission. And, 70% of those who did were still in remission after two years.
Adding some simple exercise to your weight loss plan can also help manage or hold off diabetes. Not only does it help you lose weight, but some exercise helps your body regulate glucose and use it properly. It isn’t necessary to rush out and join a gym. A walk around the neighborhood each day can work wonders, and prepare you to add some other exercise later on.
Our talented medical team at Healthy Life Family Medicine works with you in the prevention and management of diabetes. With diet, exercise, and the right team, you can avoid the complications associated with type 2 diabetes and live a long and healthy life.
To learn more about preventing or reversing type 2 diabetes, contact our practice in Goodyear, Arizona, to schedule a consultation and exam. You may call us or complete the form on our contact page.
