At Healthy Life Family Medicine, in Goodyear, Arizona, John Monroe, MD, and his team diagnose diabetes and offer customized treatments to help you manage your condition and protect your health.
Diabetes is a group of diseases that interfere with the way your body makes or uses insulin to convert glucose into energy. There are several types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes usually emerges in childhood. It typically develops in adults, although Type 2 diabetes is becoming more common in children and teenagers.
Some women develop gestational diabetes during their second trimester of pregnancy. One of the hormones produced by the placenta can interfere with insulin use. Gestational diabetes usually goes away soon after your baby is born, but increases your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. Prediabetes is when your blood sugar levels are elevated, but not high enough to be clinically diagnosed as diabetes.
However, diabetes can cause some symptoms, including:. Diabetes damages your blood vessels and nerves, which leads to a wide range of potential health complications, including heart disease, stroke, blindness, and amputation. If you have prediabetes, mild Type 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes, you might be able to regulate your blood sugar levels by adjusting your diet and adding activity to your day.
Even a minute walk after a meal can help your body use and store glucose appropriately. However, if you have Type 1 diabetes or severe Type 2 diabetes, your doctor can prescribe insulin to enable your body to process glucose correctly. You should also watch your diet and get regular exercise.
