5 Types of Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes is a very serious illness that can affect many parts of a patient’s life. At South Coast Medical Group OC, we have over 19 years of experience treating patients with diabetes. We use a number of methods to treat this disease and depending on each patient’s situation, combine different types of treatment to get the best results for our patient’s health. Here are 5 of the best treatment options that we often use and how they each play a role in making sure our patients manage their blood sugar and diabetes.
Eating Your Way to Health
Type 2 Diabetes is most commonly caused by obesity and excessive weight gain. When someone eats too many processed foods, sugary foods, or excess calories, they gain weight. With weight gain comes other problems, chief among them being Type 2 Diabetes. Fortunately, just as overeating and eating unhealthy food can cause diabetes, healthy eating can also reverse it. That’s why eating healthy food can be such a powerful way to getting control of your blood sugar and living a healthier life. A healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains can lead to weight loss over time and normal blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes, speaking to your doctor about what you should cut out of your diet and what you should include in your diet will go a long way towards handling your high blood sugar.
Staying Fit
Regular exercise can improve the body’s use of insulin while also helping patients to lose weight. Since obesity is one of the leading causes of diabetes, if not the primary cause of Type 2 Diabetes, then it is important to lose weight to try and reverse the disease. Even if the disease is not reversed, many patients who lose weight have their medications reduced by their doctors. If a patient loses enough weight and returns to a healthy body fat percentage, then they may eventually no longer have the symptoms of diabetes or no longer even test for diabetes, which means for all intents and purposes they are once again fully healthy.
Medication for Diabetes
Insulin is a commonly prescribed medication for diabetic patients whose bodies do not properly use insulin. Like many other types of medication, insulin comes in a variety of versions that each work differently in the body and have different costs. Patients who are diagnosed with diabetes are prescribed the right version of insulin that is going to help them manage their symptoms best. In addition to insulin, other types of medication may also be prescribed depending on a patient’s health and diagnosis.
Blood Glucose Monitoring
The most common way for diabetic patients to check their blood sugar levels is to use a glucose meter. These small devices have testing strips and small needles that prick a finger in order to analyze a drop of blood’s sugar levels. What’s great about a glucometer is that patients can use it to check their blood sugar at home or while going about their day. Glucometers can also help patients to check how different types of food can affect their blood sugar levels. For example, eating a sugary dessert after dinner is likely to spike a patient’s blood sugar levels and a glucometer can quickly tell a patient that they need to take medication to lower their blood sugar if it is too high.
Checking for Worsening Conditions
What makes diabetes a very serious disease is that it can progress and cause further problems in different parts of the body. When Diabetes goes unchecked, it can cause severe problems in the feet, hands, eyes, kidneys, and other organs. It is not uncommon for individuals who let their diabetes go untreated to end up developing sores and wounds on their feet or hands that are slow to heal and difficult to treat. As a result, individuals with untreated or worsening diabetes sometimes lose their toes and feet to amputation. Similarly, vision can worsen with diabetes and individuals can eventually go blind. Diabetes can also get so worse that it leads to kidney disease and even kidney failure. For these reasons, ongoing treatment for most patients will include frequently checking for any worsening conditions or problem areas, such as the feet.
If you have Type 2 Diabetes or believe you need to have your blood sugar levels checked, please set up your appointment with us. We will be ready to give you the quality medical care that you deserve. With over 19 years of experience in treating patients with diabetes, we have the experience and skills to make sure you receive the right treatment that will put you on the path to proper health and wellness. Together, we can work to manage your high blood sugar and diabetes.
