Diabetes

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic condition that involves how your body transforms the sugar you get from your diet into the energy you need to function.

The two main types of diabetes are Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. In Type 1 diabetes, your body produces little to no insulin, which is needed to convert sugar into energy. As a result, sugar levels in your blood remain high, which can lead to serious health consequences, including permanent organ damage.

Type 2 diabetes results when your body doesn’t make enough insulin or doesn’t use the insulin it produces effectively. This type of diabetes often results from a poor diet or other lifestyle factors.

What are my risk factors for developing diabetes?

While Type 1 diabetes is often diagnosed in childhood, the condition can start at any age. The cause of the disease relates to a dysfunction in your immune system, which attacks the pancreas, the organ responsible for making insulin.

Type 2 diabetes relates to factors that prevent your body from producing enough insulin or using it properly. These factors can include:

• Age
• Poor diet
• Being overweight

You may also be at increased risk for developing Type 2 diabetes if your parents or siblings have the condition.

How is diabetes diagnosed?

If you have a family history of diabetes, Dr. Trussler may perform routine blood tests to evaluate your sugar levels during your annual physicals.

If you already have diabetes, Dr. Trussler can evaluate your sugar levels and determine how well your current therapy is working for you.

What treatments are available for diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes requires daily insulin therapy to keep sugar levels steady. You can also expect to perform at-home blood testing to monitor those levels throughout the day, especially after you eat. Dr. Trussler will also work with you to create a healthy nutritional plan to avoid excess sugars and other ingredients that can interfere with your blood sugar levels.

If you develop Type 2 diabetes, Dr. Trussler may initially recommend lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk for permanent organ damage and other health complications. These changes may include:

• Eating a healthy diet
• Losing weight
• Quitting smoking
• Getting regular exercise

If these changes aren’t enough to control your Type 2 diabetes, you may need to start therapy with medications. Diabetes medicine may include oral or injectable insulin or medications that can stimulate your own production of insulin.

Learn more about diabetes management services by booking an appointment online or over the phone with Jay Michael Trussler, DO today.