Diabetes
About Diabetes
At Insight Family Health, we understand the importance of effective diabetes care for our patients and their families. Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. When the body can’t produce or properly use insulin, blood sugar levels rise, leading to various health complications if left untreated.
How is Diabetes Treated?
Diabetes treatment aims to manage blood sugar levels and prevent complications. Treatment approaches differ based on the type of diabetes—Type 1, Type 2, or gestational—but all focus on maintaining healthy glucose levels through medication, diet, exercise, and regular monitoring.
- Type 1 Diabetes: Since people with Type 1 diabetes do not produce insulin, they rely on daily insulin injections or an insulin pump to regulate blood sugar. Blood sugar levels must be checked regularly, and treatment involves balancing insulin doses with diet, physical activity, and blood sugar monitoring to avoid dangerous spikes or drops in glucose.
- Type 2 Diabetes: Treatment for Type 2 diabetes often starts with lifestyle changes like a balanced diet, increased physical activity, and weight management. When lifestyle changes alone aren’t enough, medications may be prescribed to help the body use insulin more effectively or increase insulin production. In some cases, people with Type 2 diabetes may need insulin injections.
- Gestational Diabetes: This temporary form of diabetes occurs during pregnancy and is managed through a healthy diet, exercise, and, in some cases, insulin or other medications to keep blood sugar within a safe range.
Lifestyle and Monitoring: Across all types, a balanced diet low in refined sugars and high in fiber, along with regular exercise, can greatly assist in blood sugar control. Regular monitoring of blood glucose levels is crucial, as it helps adjust treatment plans and avoid complications.
Additional Support: Diabetes care often involves a healthcare team, including doctors, dietitians, and diabetes educators, who help individuals understand their condition and manage it effectively. By following a treatment plan tailored to their needs, most people with diabetes can lead a healthy, active life and reduce the risk of complications.
At Insight Family Health: We see a large improvement to the both the quality and quantify of life for patients who adhere to prescribed treatments for diabetes. The consequences of untreated diabetes can be harsh, and there is nothing more satisfying in medicine than seeing those consequences avoided and reversed thought attentive medical care. It takes a team of you and your doctor to succeed, but the rewards are enormous.
