Diabetes Specialist

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects how your body processes the sugar it gets from the food you eat. In a healthy body, the hormone insulin converts sugar into the energy you need to function. When you have diabetes, your body doesn’t process these sugars normally, resulting in chronically high blood sugar levels.

There are four types of diabetes:

Prediabetes

Prediabetes is a condition where your blood sugar levels are high, but not high enough to be considered diabetes. Without dietary and lifestyle changes, prediabetes increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes develops because your body doesn’t produce the insulin you need to control blood sugar. As a result, you need daily insulin therapy to convert sugar into energy and keep sugar levels in the blood in normal range.

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a condition where your body isn’t producing enough insulin or isn’t properly using the insulin it does make. This causes blood sugar levels to stay elevated, which can lead to long-term health complications, including heart damage.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a condition that occurs when blood sugar levels remain high throughout a pregnancy, which usually resolves after childbirth.

How is diabetes diagnosed?

Diagnosing diabetes involves a simple blood test to evaluate the level of sugars in your blood. In many cases, Type 1 diabetes is diagnosed in childhood, but it can also develop in adulthood. You may need diagnostic blood work if you have symptoms of the disease, such as:

• Blurry vision
• Chronic fatigue
• Slow-healing wounds
• Excessive hunger or thirst
• Unexplained weight changes

As Type 2 diabetes is often the result of lifestyle choices or a family history of the disease, your Cogent Family Healthcare provider may recommend preventive diabetes screenings during your annual physical, even if you don’t show any symptoms.

How is diabetes treated?

The Cogent Family Healthcare team offers comprehensive care for diabetes. If you have Type 1 diabetes, they create a treatment plan for daily insulin therapy. Your provider also requests routine in-office blood sugar checks and provides you with resources to check your blood sugar levels at home.

If you have prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes, your initial treatment involves changes to your diet and lifestyle to lower your blood sugar levels naturally. These changes may include:

• Losing weight
• Eating a healthy diet
• Increasing your daily exercise

If these changes aren’t enough to control Type 2 diabetes, your Cogent Family Healthcare provider can prescribe medications and continues to monitor and manage your condition.

The ultimate goal in treating all types of diabetes is to prevent long-term health complications, including heart disease, nerve damage, and premature death.

If you have a family history of diabetes or need help managing your condition, schedule a consultation at Cogent Family Healthcare today by phone or by using the online booking feature.