Unfortunately, type 2 diabetes is an epidemic across the United States. Over 36 million Americans live with the condition, and more than two million of them are here in Florida.
A major concern for people coping with type 2 diabetes is the serious complications that can accompany it.
Dr. Gurprit Sekhon assists patients by diagnosing, monitoring, and treating type 2 diabetes so the risk of complications related to the condition can be minimized as much as possible.
Treatment often involves taking prescription medication, but many patients wonder if they can forgo another medication and manage their type 2 diabetes on their own, without pharmaceutical intervention.
When you consume food, your body breaks it down into glucose that’s directed to the blood. Insulin is the essential hormone that assists with transporting glucose from your blood into your cells. After it enters your cells, the glucose is either used as fuel immediately or stored for use later.
When you live with type 2 diabetes, you produce insulin, but your body can’t use it correctly, and those with type 1 diabetes produce little-to-no insulin.
When your body can’t do what it should with the insulin it makes, it accumulates in your bloodstream, and this is when problems arise.
As we said earlier, serious health problems can develop from living with type 2 diabetes, especially if it isn’t well-monitored and managed. These include:
This list brings home how critical it is to seek treatment for your type 2 diabetes.
The good news is, not necessarily.
Sometimes it’s possible for a person living with type 2 diabetes to make lifestyle changes that normalize their blood sugar levels.
It’s critical to focus on eating a healthy diet if you live with type 2 diabetes. What does this mean? Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean meat, whole grains, and nonfat dairy.
Limit or avoid foods that are high in sugar and fat — think baked goods, sugary drinks, and fast food.
Be mindful of your carbohydrate intake, as well, because carbs turn into sugar after you eat them.
Getting and staying active is vital for controlling your type 2 diabetes, but don’t be discouraged. It’s not necessary to become an overnight triathlete, simply try to fit about 30 minutes of exercise into most days.
You’re likely to see physical activity as less of a chore if you choose things you like to do, like walking your dog, gardening, or taking a dance class.
Reaching a healthy weight can have a great impact if you live with type 2 diabetes. Losing even as little as 5% of your body weight not only improves your insulin resistance, but it may also contribute to your being able to reduce or stop taking insulin or another diabetes medication.
Dr. Sekhon offers medically supervised weight loss services for patients that she tailors to their preferences, needs, and conditions.
We’re all aware of the countless reasons why smoking is one of the worst things for our health, but if you live with type 2 diabetes, it threatens even more harm.
As the main ingredient in cigarettes, nicotine is known to raise your blood sugar, and smoking coupled with type 2 diabetes raises your risk even more for the laundry list of serious complications we detailed earlier. The bottom line: Smoking is bad news for people living with type 2 diabetes.
Stress has been shown to raise your blood sugar, and when you’re anxious, you’re distracted and less likely to manage your type 2 diabetes well.
In order to lower your stress level, do things you enjoy, like having coffee with a friend or taking up knitting again. Meditating or registering for a yoga class are also good ideas.
Interestingly, all the items on this list can contribute to addressing stress as well.
When you seek care for your type 2 diabetes at Nu Wave Medical Center, you’re forging a trusting bond with Dr. Sekhon. Though some patients need medication to manage their type 2 diabetes, others can either not start or no longer need prescription medication if lifestyle changes alone are enough to normalize blood sugar levels.
Contact the Nu Wave Medical Center office at 850-493-6948 to schedule an appointment today. You’re in the best hands here.
