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Did you know that an estimated 1.5 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes each year, according to reports by the American Diabetes Association? Bita Jafari, MD, is an assiduous physician who knows the true impact diabetes can have on everyday life. Dr. Jafari and the health professionals at Texas Premier Physicians offer specialized medical care and personalized treatments to manage your blood sugar and your symptoms and reduce your risk of complications. Call the office or use the online booking tool to schedule an appointment.
Diabetes mellitus is a medical umbrella term for a cluster of diseases that affect how your body utilizes blood sugar (glucose). When you have diabetes, there’s excess glucose circulating in your bloodstream. Glucose is one of your body’s primary energy sources.
A gland located near your stomach called your pancreas produces a hormone called insulin. As you eat sugar and foods that turn into sugar in your body, your pancreas releases the insulin hormone to help manage and store the sugar in your cells for use.
One of the main purposes of insulin is to lower your blood sugar levels. When the level of sugar in your blood drops, your insulin production also drops.
Type 1 diabetes occurs when your immune system starts attacking the pancreatic cells that produce insulin instead of fighting off harmful bacteria and viruses. When this happens, your pancreas stops producing insulin.
Type 2 diabetes involves a reduction in the production of insulin by the pancreas. Your body becomes resistant to the effects of insulin until finally, your pancreas can’t produce enough insulin to overcome this resistance. Type 2 diabetes is more common and prevalent as you age.
Prediabetes can develop into type 2 diabetes over time. When your blood sugar levels are higher than average, but not high enough to be in the diabetes zone, this is called prediabetes.
Prediabetes is essentially a warning that your blood sugar levels are too high and your risk of developing diabetes is increased.
Gestational diabetes happens when a woman is pregnant and often subsides following childbirth.
Some of the symptoms of diabetes are:
Many diabetics also get frequent infections, including vaginal, gum, or skin infections.
It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of diabetes. Multiple factors are believed to play a role, such as:
Without proper management, diabetes can lead to serious complications, such as:
Untreated diabetes can cause damage to the skin, eyes, feet, kidneys, and even hearing.
To help manage and control your condition, Dr. Jafari might suggest various treatments, such as:
Dr. Jafari believes the right lifestyle changes can be pivotal in managing diabetes and improving metabolic health. For the assistance of a highly experienced and good-natured diabetes specialist, call or click today.
For the assistance of a highly experienced and good-natured diabetes specialist, call or Make an appointment today.