diabetes

Understanding Preventative Care

When people think of medical care, the most common image that comes to mind is family medicine providers providing medicine or performing surgery. However, the best way to address a health condition is to detect it early, while it is still a minor problem — or prevent it from occurring at all.

Preventative care is a proactive medical approach that, if done well, will often go unnoticed. It aims to equip you with the tools to avoid getting sick altogether.

Three Types of Preventative Care

Preventative care covers measures taken to prevent health conditions from developing. Sometimes, preventative care may involve treating a disease before any symptoms manifest at all.

Primary Prevention

Primary prevention involves using measures like vaccinations and healthy lifestyle choices to stop diseases before they happen. They also help prevent non-infectious health conditions from occurring. Primary prevention methods include:

  • Vaccinations: These give the body the tools to fight infectious diseases before they worsen. Vaccinations can turn life-threatening diseases into mere inconveniences, and patients might not even feel the symptoms of milder infections.
  • Healthy lifestyle choices: Helps cover things like balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and ergonomic spaces. Living a healthy lifestyle can prevent or delay health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, and some heart conditions.

Secondary Prevention

Secondary prevention techniques help primary care providers detect diseases and health conditions that already exist. However, they aim to discover these health conditions while they are still in their early stages and comparatively easy to treat.

Secondary prevention methods are covered by regular health screenings and check-ups. Seeing your provider for a wellness visit or annual physical is part of secondary prevention. Some other examples include:

Testing is crucial for catching diseases in their early, more treatable stages, often before symptoms are even noticeable. Secondary prevention also includes educating people about recognizing early signs of diseases and the importance of regular health check-ups.

Tertiary Prevention

Tertiary prevention in healthcare involves managing health conditions that already exist and mitigating their effects. It aims to manage disease symptoms and prevent side effects.

Practicing tertiary prevention also involves daily management of a health condition, along with regular monitoring. Tertiary prevention methods help:

  1. Limit Physical and Mental Decline: Healthcare professionals will use physical therapy and other techniques to help rehabilitate a patient. Their goal is to help a patient live a fulfilling life both physically and mentally, particularly for those with chronic illnesses or who have undergone major surgeries.
  2. Prevent Complications: Some health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, create a risk for additional complications that make the condition worse or create other health issues.
  3. Support and Education: Primary care providers and other medical professionals will equip their patients with the knowledge to understand and manage their conditions on their own.
  4. Ongoing Monitoring and Treatment: Some health conditions require continuous monitoring and maintenance to ensure the patient’s quality of life, and sometimes survival.

Benefits of Preventative Care

Early detection of illnesses through regular screenings can lead to more effective treatments. Detecting a disease early will often make surgery unnecessary, and even if surgery is the best course of action, it is often minimally invasive.

  1. Reducing the Risk of Chronic Diseases: Preventative care helps mitigate the development and progression of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer through early detection and lifestyle modifications.
  2. Early Detection and Treatment of Illnesses: Regular health screenings and medical check-ups enable the early identification of health issues, leading to more effective and less invasive treatment options.
  3. Cost-Effectiveness in Healthcare: By preventing or detecting diseases early, preventative care reduces the need for expensive treatments and hospitalizations, thereby lowering overall healthcare costs.
  4. Improving Quality of Life and Longevity: Through proactive health measures, individuals can enjoy a higher quality of life with fewer health complications and increased lifespan.

Preventative Care Across Different Life Stages

Preventative care strategies vary across life stages. The kind of care a person needs and should receive varies depending on their age and health.

  • Childhood and Adolescence: This stage emphasizes vaccinations, developmental screenings, and education on healthy habits.
  • Adulthood: Adults need regular screenings, such as blood tests.
  • Senior Years: Primary care providers shift their focus to screening for age-related conditions such as arthritis.
  • Special Considerations: Women’s and men’s health require tailored approaches, including reproductive health and sex-specific screenings.

Primary Care Near Me in Wellington, FL

Preventative care is a proactive approach to maintaining health and well-being. It does two things: it prevents disease and encourages people to be more proactive about their health and lifestyles.

Proactive health management begins with you. Regular check-ups, a healthy lifestyle, and staying informed are all things you can do that benefit yourself and your health. Consult with us at the Advanced Medical Clinic about which preventative services are best for your lifestyle.

Embrace preventative care – your future self will thank you. Call us at (561) 434-1935 or book an appointment through our website.

The Rising Cost of Insulin in the U.S.: A Looming Crisis?

Insulin is a hormone that is naturally produced by the body in order to metabolize carbohydrates and to regulate blood sugar levels. People with type 1 diabetes, whose pancreas produces little to no insulin, are insulin-dependent – needing shots of insulin to replenish what their body is not manufacturing. Similarly, those who have type 2 diabetes may also need to have insulin shots to regulate their glucose levels.

The men who discovered insulin in 1923 sold the intellectual property rights for just 3 Canadian dollars. Today, the average price of insulin in the United States is $98.70, with some rates going as high as $250 per vial.

Diabetes is big business for pharmaceutical manufacturers. Even as far back as 1941, several companies were indicted on antitrust and price-fixing charges when they were caught inflating the prices of insulin.

Expensive Insulin – Who Is to Blame?

For those of us who have diabetes, these rising costs are becoming more and more painful in the wallet. Diabetics in the United States pay at least eight times the cost of insulin as compared to those who live in other high-income nations.

The insulin market is broken, from the insulin manufacturers and their lobbyists to the wholesalers and retailers to governmental and nongovernmental regulatory bodies. Insulin prices will continue to rise with no real policy-level solutions.

What then can be done to help patients with diabetes afford the cost of insulin?

What Family Medicine Providers Can Do

Some providers are proactive in helping their patients to better manage their disease. The local family medicine providers may not be able to singlehandedly change the system, but they can provide low-cost options such as human insulin – which is doable and effective.

Moreover, drug manufacturers offer affordable treatment options to certain healthcare facilities through the 340B program, of which more than 12,000 facilities are participating. As a patient, ask your family medicine provider whether you have access to this or to something similar.

Family Medicine Provider in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, Florida

The skilled and experienced healthcare team here at Advanced Medical Clinic specializes in diagnosing and treating patients with endocrine disorders, including diabetes. Dr. Ishan Gunawardene, our internal medicine family medicine provider, aims to help his diabetes patients find insulin that they can afford to control their disease.

His wife, Shariffa Gunawardene, is a board-certified nurse practitioner who can treat patients of all ages. Together, they can serve the medical needs of your whole family. We are highly flexible and take a personalized approach for your family’s optimal health.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, contact our friendly staff today by calling us at (561) 434-1935 or by filling out our easy-to-use appointment request form online now. We have convenient locations in Wellington (off SR7/441, north of Lake Worth Road) and in Royal Palm Beach (near the intersection of Okeechobee Boulevard and Royal Palm Beach Boulevard), and we look forward to being your family’s healthcare partner!

Diabetes

There are more than 100 million Americans who have diabetes or pre-diabetes – encompassing almost a third of the country’s entire population. About 84 million have pre-diabetes, and 30 million do have the condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Diabetes is a serious, chronic disease that affects the body’s ability to process glucose (sugar). Glucose provides the energy necessary for the cells in our muscles and tissues to work properly, but diabetes leads to high sugar levels which can cause serious health problems.

In 2015, diabetes was among the top 10 causes of death in this country, ranking at #7. That is why it is so important to catch the disease early, at the pre-diabetic stage, before it turns into type 2 diabetes.

Types of Diabetes

There are several different types of diabetes. Let’s take a look at the most common forms of this condition:

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes occurs only in pregnant women. If a woman develops this condition, it usually first appears in the middle of pregnancy. This condition normally disappears after the baby has been born.

If gestational diabetes is ignored, it can cause the baby to be too large. This can create problems during delivery, and the baby can develop nerve damage because there tends to be too much pressure on the baby’s shoulder during the birthing process.

A woman with gestational diabetes also has a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes later. Therefore, it is important for the woman to continue following a healthy lifestyle of diet and exercise.

Pre-Diabetes

If a person has pre-diabetes, it is necessary for them to modify their diet in order to avoid developing type 2 diabetes. Regular exercise that the person enjoys and a healthy diet comprising foods the person likes are essential to maintaining a healthy body going forward.

If you have pre-diabetes and you continue to follow an unhealthy lifestyle, eating high-fat foods and being notably overweight, you are likely to develop type 2 diabetes within five years. That is the dangerous stage of diabetes, so it should be carefully avoided.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a serious form of this disease, and its exact cause remains unknown. It is believed to be either an inherited disorder or caused by a virus.

This type of diabetes causes a person’s pancreas to release very small amounts of insulin or no insulin at all. Without insulin, sugar levels will continually build up in the bloodstream, causing severe side effects.

Insulin is a hormone that enables glucose to enter our cells for energy. We get glucose from the foods we eat after the food is processed by the digestive system.

This form of the disease was previously called juvenile diabetes. It usually appears during childhood or adolescence, and it requires daily insulin injections to stay alive because the pancreas is not providing the proper insulin support.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease, and it can develop at any age in a person’s life – but it usually affects people over the age of 40. With type 2 diabetes, the body doesn’t use insulin properly, even though it still produces it.

This form develops over many years, and symptoms may not be obvious. With proper nutrition, daily exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight, the development of type 2 diabetes can be delayed and even prevented.

Complications from Diabetes

Having diabetes dramatically raises the risk of many cardiovascular problems, such as a heart attack or a stroke. The presence of excessive sugar in the bloodstream can lead to nerve damage, especially in the legs – which, if left untreated, can cause a loss of all sensation in the affected limbs.

Complications often affect the feet and legs of diabetic patients. This can lead to the need for amputation of the foot, leg, or both in order to keep the diabetic person alive.

Kidney damage can also be caused by diabetes. Severe kidney damage can lead to kidney failure, which may require dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Diabetes can damage the blood vessels in the retina, potentially leading to issues in the eye. This can cause glaucoma, cataracts, and even blindness.

Family Medicine Provider in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach

Our skilled and experienced medical team at Advanced Medical Clinic is here to assist you in all of your health care needs. We practice family and internal medicine – and if you have any risk factors for diabetes, we can provide a full evaluation and treatment if necessary.

Call us at (561) 434-1935 today, or request an appointment online right now. Let us help put your mind at ease about diabetes.

Managing Diabetes: 6 Tips for Type 1 Diabetes

Contrary to popular belief, type 1 diabetes is not only a childhood disease. Although it usually strikes in people under the age of 20, it can occur at any age, in every race, and to people of every shape and size.

Diabetes is a disease that affects how the body uses glucose, a sugar that is used as a source of fuel for the body. Normally, the hormone insulin helps glucose enter the cells where it is used for energy.  People with type 1 diabetes do not produce insulin. As a result, glucose does not get into the body’s cells and stays in the bloodstream. Too much sugar in the blood makes people ill and can result in medical complications. Therefore, people with type 1 diabetes have to monitor their blood glucose levels constantly and appropriately administer insulin every day of their lives.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for type 1 diabetes, but there are many things you can do that will help you manage your condition in order to live a long and healthy life.

Get the Right Support

Every person who has diabetes should have a personal plan and a health care team. You’re in charge of putting that plan into action, but you don’t have to compile it on your own. Speak to your family medicine provider about setting up the right support for you. This should include an endocrinologist, a nutritionist, or a dietitian, and you may even want to include a podiatrist and an ophthalmologist and a diabetes educator to explain to you how to live better with the condition.

Get Regular Checks with Your Health Care Team

Talk with your health care team regularly, and keep them in the loop on your condition. High blood sugar can affect organs and tissues throughout your body. Even if your diabetes is controlled well, health problems can still arise – so it is important to get checked out regularly and watch for warning signs such as sores that don’t heal, swelling, tingling, or numbness in your hands and feet, and blurred or double vision. You should report these concerns early on so they can be treated quickly before getting worse. You can slow or even stop the damage if you act quickly.

It is vitally important to see your endocrinologist at least every 90 days and have your longer-term blood sugar levels checked. A Hemoglobin A1c test tells you and your family medicine provider what your blood sugars are doing over a 90-day period and helps tremendously in managing the disease.

Watch What You Eat and When You Eat

It is a good idea to have a healthy meal plan in place which includes complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber, lots of green, leafy vegetables, and limits to the amount of fat in your diet – especially saturated fats such as bacon, sausage, and full-fat dairy. Saturated fat raises your chance of heart disease, and with diabetes this increases your risk further. Making smart food choices can lower that risk.

Carbohydrates are found in many foods including grains, fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and sugars. They are your body’s main source of energy, but they raise your blood sugar levels faster than any other food – so knowing how many and what type of carbs you can eat can affect how well you manage your diabetes.

It is a good idea to work with your family medicine provider or dietician to establish a personalized eating plan to figure out how many grams of carbs you should be eating throughout the day and try to ensure you are eating a healthy, balanced diet.

Eating little and often rather than the usual three meals a day is more likely to keep your blood sugar levels stable than going long periods without eating.

Get Active

Regular physical activity can help you lose extra weight, keep blood sugar levels healthy, and lower your blood pressure. It can also improve your sleep, mood, and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, which can all negatively affect blood glucose levels.

Just 5 minutes of walking can dramatically reduce your blood glucose levels. Try to find a form of exercise you enjoy, whether this be individually or in a group.

It is important to keep a close eye on your blood sugar levels before, during, and after exercise, because it can raise or lower your levels and can even trigger hypoglycemia.

Take Advantage of Advancements

Diabetes management has come a long way. Be sure to take advantage of the tools and technology that exist to help aid in the daily management of the disease.

Make sure you have a blood glucose monitor and that you do regular checks (at least four per day). Most monitors use a very small drop of blood and display the results very quickly. There is even a monitor available that requires no finger sticks at all.

Consider getting a CGM as well. A CGM is a continuous glucose monitor. The device is a small sensor you wear on the skin that reads and displays blood sugar results every 5 minutes automatically. This allows you to know what your blood sugars are doing 24 hours per day. The results display through your smartphone, and alarms signal an oncoming low or high, allowing you to stay ahead of blood sugar changes.

Instead of injections, consider an insulin pump. An insulin pump can help you manage your diabetes by matching your insulin to your lifestyle, rather than getting an insulin injection and matching your life to how the insulin is working. Insulin pumps deliver short-acting insulin 24 hours a day through a catheter placed under the skin. You then deliver insulin through the pump based on the number of carbohydrates you will eat at mealtime or to correct a high blood sugar. There is even a wireless pump available that allows you to wear it discreetly on multiple places on the body as well as swim and shower with it.

Be Kind to Yourself

Living with diabetes and its daily demands can be stressful, so it’s really important to focus on and feel good about your achievements. Don’t be overly critical of yourself if you fall short of a goal, and give yourself credit when you are successful at managing your blood sugar. Remember to do the best you can do and keep a positive attitude.

At Advanced Medical, PA, we pride ourselves in providing personal and individualized, quality health care. Our experienced medical staff take the time to get to know our patients, and we are here to help you manage diabetes and other chronic conditions. To learn more about us and the services we offer, or to arrange a visit, call us at (561) 434-1935 or request an appointment. We are always happy to answer any questions you may have about our practice and the primary care services we provide.

Managing Your Weight with Diabetes

For more than 30 million Americans, diabetes or prediabetes is a fact of life. Being overweight is a major factor that can make a person susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes.

In type 2 diabetes, the body either resists the effects of insulin or it doesn’t produce enough insulin for the cells to maintain proper levels of glucose (sugar). Insulin is a hormone that regulates the sugar in your body’s cells, and being overweight puts excess pressure on your body in regulating these levels.

If you have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, losing weight can make a significant positive impact on your health and diabetes management. Let’s take a look at how your weight affects – and can be affected by – diabetes.

Weight Gain and Diabetes

Obesity is a major risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, but actually any amount of excess weight makes you more likely to have diabetes. In fact, 90 percent of people diagnosed are overweight. In addition, fat that is concentrated around your waist (belly fat) carries an even greater link.

For those who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, excess weight can make your body become resistant to insulin. Your pancreas therefore makes more insulin in response to this resistance, and the pancreas can eventually lose function from being overworked.

How Weight Loss Can Help

According to the American Diabetes Association, losing just a few pounds can make diabetes more manageable. Plus, obesity is also linked with heart disease, so losing weight truly improves your overall health.

Losing weight therefore reduces the need for insulin medication, decreases feelings of depression, and can reduce or eliminate obstructive sleep apnea.

Why Diabetes Can Make Losing Weight More Difficult

Maintaining your weight after losing it successfully is hard for everyone, but these are some additional hurdles you may face if you have type 2 diabetes:

  • Medication to lower blood sugar can cause weight gain.
  • People who are treated for depression or other psychiatric disorders (which are common with diabetes) may take medicine that causes weight gain.
  • Peripheral nerve damage (diabetic peripheral neuropathy) can affect the body’s ability to maintain weight.
  • Changes in metabolism related to diabetes can make weight loss more difficult.

Strategies for Weight Management

It is important to remember that weight loss is a long-term process, and patience is important. Dramatic changes in eating habits may cause you to lose weight right away, but this is virtually impossible to maintain.

Below are some excellent ways for those dealing with diabetes to manage their weight:

  • Evaluate your lifestyle. Are you eating out of habit and not when you’re hungry? Are you including physical activity in your daily routine?
  • Stick to your plan. Developing a safe weight-loss plan with your primary care provider will help with accountability, and your family medicine provider will make sure the plan will work for your lifestyle.
  • Make good food choices. Set realistic expectations for the foods you eat; complete deprivation of the foods you love can lead to failure. Your family medicine provider  can advise you about good snacks, too.

Family Medicine Provider in Palm Beach County

Working with a trusted primary care provider is one of the best things you can do for diabetes management – and for your overall good health. Advanced Medical Clinic in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach offers continuity of care throughout our patients’ lives.

Our experienced medical staff take the time to get to know our patients at their wellness exams, and we are here to help you manage diabetes and other chronic conditions. We will help you set realistic goals and keep you on track for success.

Call (561) 434-1935 for an appointment at Advanced Medical Clinic today, or fill out our online appointment request form. We offer same-day appointments for your convenience. We look forward to serving you and helping you live an active, healthy lifestyle you enjoy.

Am I At Risk for ED?

When it comes to personal physical problems, a tough subject for many to talk about is ED. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is considered the inability to get and maintain an erection during sexual activity. Occasional erection problems are usually not a concern, as most men may experience an event of impotence at some point in their lives. Being informed about what might cause or increase the probability for ED can be an important part of prevention and wellness.

Human sexual arousal is a natural process that involves many parts of your body. If erectile dysfunction becomes an ongoing (chronic) issue, it can impact many aspects of a man’s life. ED can also be a sign of an underlying health condition that needs to be diagnosed and treated. Often, problems with the heart and blood vessels, the nervous system, hormones, and certain diseases can result in ED.

Risk factors

There are several factors that can put you at risk of developing erectile dysfunction. Some of these include:

Medical conditions

  • Cardiovascular disease. High blood pressure (hypertension) and clogged arteries (atherosclerosis) are well-known risk factors for erectile dysfunction. Studies suggest that between 30% to 50% of men with high blood pressure may develop ED.
  • Diabetes. Up to 50% of men with diabetes may be at risk of developing erectile dysfunction. Additionally, diabetic men tend to develop erection problems 10 to 15 years earlier than the average ED patient.
  • Multiple sclerosis (MS). MS attacks the protective cover of the nerves, causing deterioration and damage to the nervous system. Erectile dysfunction may develop as a consequence.
  • Prostate diseases. Inflammation, enlargement, and cancer of the prostate can all cause varying degrees of erectile dysfunction.
  • Certain types of surgery and injuries. Sometimes, surgeries or injuries related to the pelvic area or spinal cord may also lead to ED.
  • Cancer treatment. Some forms of cancer treatment, such as radiation therapy, may produce side effects that impair your ability to have and keep an erection.

Other conditions

  • Being overweight. Especially if you are obese (when your bodyweight is 20% or more than it should be).
  • Medications. Medications to treat high blood pressure and some prescription painkilers may produce side effects that lead to ED. In addition, antidepressants and antihistamines (allergy medicines) can adversely impact erectile function.

Substance abuse

  • Alcohol abuse disorder. Health issues caused by alcoholism, such as liver disease and mental health problems, can put you at risk of developing ED.
  • Drug abuse. The abuse of substances such as ecstasy, amphetamines, cocaine, and heroin may put you at risk of developing erectile dysfunction. The misuse of prescription medications such as opioid painkillers and antidepressants can also be risk factors to developing erection problems.
  • Tobacco use. Nicotine is the main drug associated with tobacco products, and it restricts blood flow to veins and arteries, and over time, can cause chronic health conditions leading to erectile dysfunction. Several studies have shown that smokers are 1.5 times more likely to suffer from ED, compared to non-smokers. 

Psychological causes

In both a voluntary and involuntary way, the brain controls the physical events that help produce an erection, beginning with feelings of sexual excitement. Several mental health issues can impact sexual feelings and cause or worsen erection issues. These include:

  • Depression and anxiety
  • Stress
  • Sleep disorders
  • Problems in relationships, employment, or parenting

The good news is that with the right diagnosis and treatment, you can get back to having a healthy sex life in no time. To learn more about erectile dysfunction, the risk factors for ED, and how to treat it, call Advanced Medical in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, Florida at (561) 434-1935 to request an appointment, or you can request an appointment online.

Does My Weight Increase the Risk for Heart Disease?

As modern and advanced as we think the United States is, it may still come as a surprise to some that obesity is a very real and present epidemic. In fact, 35 percent of adults and 17 percent of children and adolescents are considered overweight to the point of being obese. And this number continues to grow! Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measurement of how much body fat someone has, determined by looking at their weight and height. If your BMI is over 35, then you are considered obese. This epidemic is severe, and it is important for people to know that being obese poses a detrimental threat to their overall health. Many people who are obese also exhibit risk factors such as high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, and conditions such as diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), stroke, and the number one cause of death – cardiovascular disease, also known as heart disease.

Heart disease is the number one cause of death around the world. Some of the most common forms are coronary heart disease (coronary artery disease), arrhythmia (abnormal heart beat), and congenital heart disease. So, does increased body weight contribute to an increased risk for heart disease?

Research has shown that being obese has been directly linked to heart failure and increased mortality rate, as a result of its correlation with the various types of heart diseases. Due to a decrease in blood flow to the heart muscle, the heart cannot pump blood as efficiently and effectively as it should.

So, to answer the question – yes, your weight does increase the risk for heart failure due to cardiovascular diseases. There are several ways obesity and cardiovascular disease are related, depending on the particular disease and the severity of how overweight or obese someone is. Coronary artery disease (CAD), where the arteries of the heart and its blood flow become blocked due to plaque build-up, is the leading cause of myocardial infarction, resulting in chest pain (angina), and possible death if left untreated.

After accounting for the risk factors generally associated with heart disease and obesity, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol, a study done in the Journal of the American Heart Association investigated the role of severe obesity and the development of heart conditions such as coronary heart disease, stroke and heart failure. While obesity has been a known risk factor for developing heart disease, results showed that severe obesity is in fact, its own independent risk factor for heart failure.

A team at John Hopkins University conducted a study with participants who were morbidly obese, and were found to be twice as likely to develop heart failure, comparable to the people with a healthy body mass index, and not considered obese. Obesity is an independent risk factor for heart failure. Someone with a BMI over 35 and diagnosed as obese is at risk for getting some form of heart disease. This study proved that these people who were morbidly obese were more likely than those of normal weight to have a stroke or coronary heart disease. Yes, obesity alone leaves a person at a significantly higher risk for heart failure, whether or not they have hypertension or diabetes. Even if patients have normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels, they are still at risk for heart failure if they are obese or overweight.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says almost six million people in the United States live with heart failure, so family medicine providers have noticed that there needs to be an improvement in educating patients, and people in general of the risk factors, and ways to keep their heart healthy, in order to better help prevent heart failure, and decrease the number of deaths. This includes eating a heart healthy diet, and making an effort to have regular exercise or activity.

Well, research studies are one thing, and real life is another. If you are overweight, you generally know that there is a healthier you that you can attain to be. You should also know that it’s important to speak with your healthcare professional about whether you might be more at risk for heart disease. To learn more about how your weight can be an indicator that you are at risk for heart disease, call Advanced Medical at (561) 434-1935, or you can request an appointment online.

How Walking Can Prevent Diabetes

Diabetes is a metabolic disease in which the body’s inability to produce any or enough insulin causes elevated levels of glucose in the blood. Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose, or sugar, for our bodies to use for energy, and those with diabetes have problems metabolizing it.

When someone is diabetic, the pancreas, an organ that lies near the stomach, does not produce enough insulin, which is what helps glucose get into the cells of our bodies. Diabetes can also interfere with your body’s ability to fight infection. Therefore, exercise is crucial in helping keep your immune system healthy and help prevent other diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and strokes.

If you have diabetes or have a family history of diabetes, and would like to prevent it from developing, physical activity is crucial. It is also important to maintain your blood glucose levels with a healthy meal plan and lifestyle. Exercising has many benefits, which include:

  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Controls weight and keeps weight down
  • Increased level of good cholesterol (HDL)
  • Leaner, stronger muscles
  • Stronger bones
  • More energy
  • Improved mood
  • Better sleep
  • Stress management

Walking is the best medicine and form of exercise to prevent diabetes. Research has shown that walking can dramatically boost energy levels, burn fat, and protects your heart. In other words, if you have high blood sugar, or if you have been diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes, walking can be a lifesaver. An active lifestyle can help perpetuate a total body wellness, where more of a focus goes towards diet and exercise.

Obesity is an epidemic that affects more than 35 percent of people in the United States, and is one of the biggest factors leading to type-2 diabetes. Walking shrinks your abdominal fat, reducing your risk of diabetes. Excess fat around your abdomen causes inflammation in cells, making them even more resistant to insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar; this increases your odds of developing the disease. According to everydayhealth.com, walking for 30 minutes a day, can reduce your risk of diabetes by 30 percent.

To learn more about how regular exercise and activity can help prevent diabetes, call Advanced Medical PA at (561) 434-1935 to request an appointment, or request one online.

Pre-Diabetes: When to See Your Family Medicine Provider?

Prediabetes is also known as borderline diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance, a condition that develops before someone receives a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes. It occurs when there is a glucose intolerance, meaning your blood sugars are at a higher level than normal, but not enough to be put in the diabetes diagnosis category.

Fortunately, during the prediabetes phase the pancreas still produces insulin, but your blood sugar still remains too high, because the insulin doesn’t remove the sugar out of your bloodstream. This is a condition called insulin resistance, and requires a visit to your family medicine provider.

Someone who has prediabetes may not even know that they have it, as symptoms are not always present, and if they are, they can be mistaken or misdiagnosed for another condition. It is often the case where someone who struggles with insulin resistance may develop type 2 diabetes, if not treated properly. That’s why going to see your provider to get tested is important, especially if some common symptoms are present. Symptoms of prediabetes include:

  • Obesity
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Having a family history of diabetes
  • Lack of exercise
  • Blurry vision
  • Increased thirst
  • Tiredness/fatigue
  • Cuts that won’t heal
  •  Inflammation in your gums

As mentioned before, prediabetes is a silent condition, so getting a checkup is important in early detection and diagnosis. If left untreated, other systems in your body will be affected. If there is concern, your provider will perform the following tests, to see if the insulin in your body is doing what it should. These tests include:

1. A fasting blood glucose test: This test measures your blood sugar before you eat, and after you drink something sugary.

2. A1c (HbA1c) test (Hemoglobin)

3. Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)

Being on a proper diet plan and exercise regimen will help you reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. To learn more about prediabetes, call Advanced Medical in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, at (561) 434-1935 to request an appointment, or request one online.

Why Eating Fresh Fruit Can Lower Your Risk for Diabetes

Eating fresh fruit is one of the great and delicious ways to eat healthy and still pack more flavor into your diet. Not only is fresh fruit a wonderful way to help balance your diet and lose weight, it may help you avoid developing type II diabetes. Medical researchers have known for some time that the risks for developing diabetes are heavily tied to daily lifestyle habits.

Studies, for instance, have consistently shown that a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and heart healthy fats can significantly lower your risk for developing adult onset, or type II diabetes ­– especially when combined with other healthy choices such as walking or other regular exercise.

Healthy Eating Can Lower Your Risk for Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Certain Cancers

Fresh whole fruits may also boost your immune system and lower your risks of both heart disease and even certain cancers. As with any diet, it is important to remember to add a wide variety of natural, healthy food sources rather than simply eating just one or two kinds of fruit. You should also talk to your family medicine provider to create a comprehensive diet and exercise program that works with your body to help you sustain a healthier lifestyle.

Keep in mind that the best diets reduce or eliminate poor food choices such as saturated fats, empty calories, high fructose corn syrup and sugar, adding heart and blood sugar healthy foods like fresh fruit and vegetables, and lean protein sources instead.

Surprisingly, fresh fruits are not the only thing that may help prevent diabetes. Peanut butter has a high fiber content, and monosaturated (good) fats that people enjoy eating. Be sure to carefully note portion sizes though, as it can ratchet up your calories. And even with fresh fruit, while overwhelmingly healthy, too much of a good thing can cause unwanted weight gain.

Fresh fruits should be eaten as whole as possible, removing only what is inedible such as the outer peel or rind. The skins of some fruits like apples also contain additional vitamins and trace minerals. Just be sure to thoroughly wash them to remove any pesticide residue that may have been used in growing them, or look for organic varieties instead.

Be aware that fruit juices or processed fruit may have added sugars, or have stripped away healthy fiber, which can cause a rise in blood sugar levels (fiber slows down absorption and improves blood sugar levels). A diet rich in whole grains, fresh fruits, nuts, berries and vegetables is a tasty way to reduce your chances of developing diabetes.

If you are concerned about how your diet is affecting your chances of developing diabetes, Dr. Ishan Gunawardene of Advanced Medical Clinic can answer all of your questions. To make an appointment with us in Wellington or Royal Palm Beach, request an appointment online or call (561) 434-1935 today.