Diabetes
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Premier Healthcare Associates, PC
Hitesh B. Patel, MD
Board Certified Internal Medicine (Primary Care Physician) & Board Certified Obesity Medicine located in Brick, NJ
Diabetes is a growing health concern across the United States, mainly due to the increase in obesity. If you need to lose weight or have symptoms of diabetes, board-certified obesity medicine specialist Hitesh Patel, MD, of Premier Healthcare Associates, PC, in Brick, New Jersey, can help. Dr. Patel delivers expert care for patients at risk of developing diabetes and people who already have the condition. With his help, you can manage Type 1 diabetes and even reverse Type 2 diabetes. Call Premier Healthcare Associates, PC, or book a consultation online today.
Diabetes Q & A
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a disorder of your endocrine system that affects your ability to regulate the glucose (sugar) in your blood. Endocrine disorders affect the production of vital hormones. The hormone involved in diabetes is insulin, which comes from your pancreas.
If you have diabetes, it means that your pancreas isn't making enough insulin, can't make insulin at all, or your body can’t use what insulin your pancreas is producing. Without enough insulin, your blood sugar levels can rise too high, leading to chronic health problems and some potentially life-threatening complications.
Problems that diabetes can cause include:
- Glaucoma
- Cataracts
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Leg ulcers
- Kidney disease
- Heart problems
- Skin disorders
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
Poorly managed diabetes is a significant cause of disability and premature death, but with expert support from Premier Healthcare Associates, PC, you can manage diabetes successfully.
What are the types of diabetes?
There are several types of diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder -- a malfunction of your body's immune system, which is there to fight off invading organisms like viruses and harmful bacteria. With Type 1 diabetes, your immune system attacks the cells in your pancreas that produce insulin, permanently destroying them.
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is quite different because it's almost always due to preventable causes like being overweight or obese. A high sugar diet, drinking too much alcohol, smoking, and not getting enough exercise increases the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.
How is diabetes treated?
If you have Type 1 diabetes, your body can't make insulin at all. Type 1 diabetes usually develops by early adulthood, and you must take supplementary insulin for life. There's no way to prevent the development of Type 1 diabetes.
Treatment for Type 2 diabetes begins with making changes to your lifestyle. Weight loss, a more active lifestyle, eating a healthy, low carb diet, and quitting bad habits like smoking and drinking can all help to regulate your blood sugar levels.
Dr. Patel can help with all these challenges. He's board-certified in obesity medicine, so weight loss is one of his specialties. At Premier Healthcare Associates, PC, you can benefit from taking part in a medically supervised weight-loss program to help you reach your ideal weight.
Lifestyle changes can be highly effective in managing blood sugar levels. If you act in the earliest stages of having Type 2 diabetes (known as prediabetes), you can completely reverse the condition. If your Type 2 diabetes is more severe, you may need to take medication to help with blood sugar regulation.
Find out if you have diabetes by taking a simple blood test. Call Premier Healthcare Associates, PC, to arrange a diabetes screening test and discuss diabetes management or book an appointment online today.
