Defining Diabetes

Question: A family member of mine was recently diagnosed with diabetes. Can you explain, in a basic way, what exactly diabetes is and where to go from here?

Answer: Well, I could make about 1,000 different blog entries to answer that one question. Diabetes is a very complex disease and I'm a firm believer in treating the individual, not just the disease, so without knowing your family member, it is hard for me to tell you in a blog entry how to treat the diabetes. Rather, in answer to your question about where to go from here, I would tell you to make sure your family member has a fabulous Primary Care Physician (PCP) with whom he/she has a comfortable relationship. PCP's typically treat the diabetes until/if the diabetes gets into more advanced stages, at which time a referral may be made to an Endocrinologist. Further, I would highly recommend your family member consult a Registered Dietitian to get a specific meal plan. To find a Registered Dietitian near you, log on to the American Dietetic Association's website at www.eatright.org

But in answer to your first question in regards to defining diabetes, let's start with food. Your body changes much of the food you eat into glucose, which is then carry by the blood to the body's cells. Insulin, a hormone made in the pancreas, helps to move glucose from the blood stream into the body cells. Diabetes is the name of the condition when either your pancreas doesn't produce insulin at all (Type I) or your pancreas is not producing enough insulin or the insulin it's producing isn't working sufficiently (Type 2). Either way, the result is high blood sugar, which left untreated, can have devastating effects. However, when properly treated, you can have a long, productive and very happy and healthy life. Good luck!

For any further questions, please email me at mypersonaldietitian@gmail.com