Diabetes rates have been on the rise here in the US for the past few decades. About 1 in 10 people have diabetes and 1 in 3 have prediabetes. This is a serious health issue that needs to be addressed. While it’s important to have a doctor by your side that can help you control and manage your diabetes symptoms, Victor G. Carabello, M.D. can also step in and help you reduce your risk for developing diabetes over your lifetime.
Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes
It is possible that diabetes symptoms can be so mild that they go unnoticed. If you do experience any of these symptoms of diabetes you must turn to us as soon as possible for an evaluation,
- Increased hunger and thirst
- Frequent urination
- Extreme exhaustion
- Vision changes
- Injuries that don’t heal or are slow to heal
- Itchy skin
- Numbness or tingling in the extremities
- Unexpected weight loss
Early detection and treatment are key to protecting you or a loved one from serious diabetic complications such as nerve damage and amputation. The two main types of diabetes are type 1 and type 2, and they require different treatment options. Again, this is why it’s important to see your doctor right away if you are experiencing symptoms of diabetes.
Risk Factors for Diabetes
Even if you aren’t showing symptoms or seem healthy, it’s still important that you see a doctor once a year for a checkup and bloodwork to make sure blood sugar levels are in check. This is particularly important if you are at risk for developing diabetes. Some risk factors include,
- Being overweight or obese
- Family history of diabetes
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Poor diet
- Being diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- Having gestational diabetes (diabetes that occurs during pregnancy)
Treating Diabetes
When caught during the prediabetic stage, our medical team may be able to help you reverse this condition through simple lifestyle modifications including eating a healthier diet, getting regular exercise, and losing weight.
Of course, for those who’ve been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, we will need to provide the proper medication, along with lifestyle changes, that can help support healthy blood sugar levels. By keeping blood sugar under control, we can prevent serious complications from happening to you.
Preventive medicine is key to a healthy life. If you are at risk for diabetes, then let’s sit down and discuss your risk factors and what can be done to change them. We can create a lifestyle that supports good health and lessens the chance for diabetes. To talk with our doctor, call the office of Victor G. Carabello, M.D. at (323) 526-2880.