Weight management is extremely important to our overall health, and it is especially important for someone with diabetes. Being at a healthy weight with diabetes lowers your risk of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure, and it can also help to reduce diabetes symptoms and help to keep your blood sugar levels under control.
Weight can be a sensitive issue, and managing weight successfully can be easier said than done. But if you have diabetes, losing weight can not only reduce your risk of serious health complications, it can also offer many benefits such as increased energy levels and improved self-confidence. It can even help to reduce the amount of diabetic medication required to manage your diabetes successfully.
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how the body uses glucose, which is a sugar that is used as a source of fuel for the body. Normally, the hormone insulin helps glucose enter the cells so it can be used for energy, but people with diabetes have difficulty manufacturing and processing insulin properly.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes produce insulin, but they either do not produce enough insulin or the cells do not react to insulin – so much of the glucose from the food we eat remains in the bloodstream, not giving cells the energy they need. People with type 1 diabetes produce minimal or no insulin. As a result, glucose does not get into the body’s cells and stays in the bloodstream.
Too much glucose (sugar) in the blood can cause a number of different medical complications and can make diabetics very sick or have life-threatening problems, such as diabetic neuropathy. This condition causes the inability to feel pain particularly in the feet.
Can Diabetes Be Controlled Through Weight Management?
Because there is no cure for diabetes, diabetics should manage their disease carefully in order to stay as healthy as possible, and to reduce the risk of medical complications. Whereas type 1 diabetics must monitor their blood glucose levels constantly and appropriately administer insulin every day of their lives, type 2 diabetics may not have to fully rely on insulin to control their diabetes. However, many diabetics do eventually end up taking insulin injections.
Although type 2 diabetes can occur in people who are a healthy weight, it most frequently develops in people who are over the age of 40 and overweight. It is also becoming increasingly common in children who are overweight. Type 1 diabetes is sometimes also called juvenile diabetes, because it usually starts in childhood and is an inherited condition. Therefore, whereas type 2 diabetes may be prevented through weight management, type 1 diabetes cannot – but the overall health of someone with type 1 can be improved by managing their weight.
How Can I Manage My Weight?
The body needs a daily amount of calories to use for energy. People can become overweight when they consume more calories from food and drinks than they burn off through exercise and activity.
Excess calories can then add up to extra pounds. Weight management involves knowing what your target weight goals are, and participating in a personalized plan to attain and maintain your goals.
Being overweight is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. It dramatically increases the risk for developing type 2 diabetes, because it puts added pressure on the body’s ability to use insulin to control blood sugar levels properly.
Losing weight can therefore make it easier for the body to lower blood sugar levels, and it can also help to improve blood pressure and cholesterol. The most effective way to lose weight safely and to keep it off for good is to partner with a physician who specializes in weight management, because this specialist will give you a personalized diet plan you will enjoy and which will work for your body.
Weight Management and Nutritional Counseling in Denton and Frisco, TX
If you are concerned about your weight or would like personal advice about weight loss and diabetes, talk to Dr. Rani Anbarasu here at Star Medical Associates. Dr. Anbarasu and her team can work with you to find ways to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle and to better control your diabetes.
For more information or to schedule a consultation, call our Denton office at (940) 382-6900, or our Frisco office at (469) 301-2300. You can also request an appointment now via our online form. We look forward to helping you stay in control of your diabetes for a happy, healthy lifestyle!
