Diabetes

Facts & Myths To Know for American Diabetes Month

hands-hold-glucose-meterIn observance of American Diabetes Month this November, the healthcare providers here at Abraham Family Medicine felt now would be a great time to discuss this all too common health condition and the role it plays in our lives.

Diabetes can affect people of all ages, but most often develops once someone is already in their adult years. This is known as type 2 diabetes. Unlike type 1 diabetes, which people are born with. With this in mind, it’s more important than ever for people to understand type 2 diabetes and take proactive steps to prevent it before it occurs. This is why our healthcare experts wanted to discuss diabetes by presenting a few facts and myths about the condition and its effects.

Prediabetes Will Always Develop Into Type-2 Diabetes

This is not always true. It is in fact possible to reverse prediabetes with certain healthy lifestyle adjustments. When the body’s natural glucose levels are lowered, the demand for insulin will also decrease. This can put prediabetes into remission or even reverse the condition entirely. This is why it’s so important for people with prediabetes to not get discouraged and do what it takes to eat right, limit sugars, exercise daily, and always drink plenty of water each day.

People With Diabetes Will Need To Only Eat Certain Special Foods

This is false. A healthy diet for people with diabetes is generally very similar to any other healthy diet. High in fresh fruits and non-starchy vegetables, low in sugars and processed fatty foods. Even with diabetes, you can still enjoy foods with carbs or unnatural sugars, it’s just about moderation and portion control when you do.

Injectable GLP-1 Medications Are The Best Treatment Method for Diabetes

This depends. In recent years, injectable GLP-1 medications generically known as Semaglutide have become very relevant for their ability to aid in weight loss. But these meds were first primarily used as a way to treat people with type 2 diabetes.

While it’s a fact that these medications can effectively help manage and lower blood sugar (glucose) levels, we can’t say that they are definitely the best treatment option without knowing the exact specifics of each person’s unique case. Some patients may be better off with glucose-lowering medications generically known as Metformin. We always make sure to thoroughly discuss every available option when making diabetes treatment recommendations for our patients.

Knowledge Is Power In The Fight Against Diabetes

The more someone knows about diabetes, the better prepared they will be to prevent it or successfully manage it in the case of a diagnosis. We strongly recommend discussing this subject at your next annual check-up appointment to clearly understand what more you can do to promote a healthy lifestyle in the spirit of prevention and long-term wellness.

For more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our family medicine healthcare providers, please contact Abraham Family Medicine. Our office is located in Snellville, not far from Grayson, Dacula, and Lilburn.

Abraham Family Medicine Discusses Two Recent Health Trends

man-getting-check-upThe world of healthcare and medicine moves fast. While some universal truths and practices never change, there are always new trends that warrant monitoring. Keeping up with these new medical trends serves as a way to update our family medicine services and techniques when it is beneficial for our patients, while also being aware of potentially harmful practices that people need to steer clear of. Today, we wanted to discuss a couple of recent trends in nutrition and medicine that we’ve noticed and the impact they can have on our patients.

The Convenience of Continuous Glucose Monitors

Along with the rise of the Fitbit and other wearable health tracking devices, continuous glucose monitors are providing a way for people with diabetes and prediabetes to remain informed about the status of their health at a moment’s notice. Continuous glucose monitoring provides the ability to regularly track glucose levels without needing to prick their finger. In addition to this added convenience and comfort, these rapid updates make it easier than ever for people with diabetes or prediabetes to make instant adjustments to their daily diet as needed to help promote better short and long-term outcomes.

There are already many different types of continuous glucose monitoring devices on the market, and this technology is becoming more advanced all the time. If you are interested in learning more, please don’t hesitate to ask your healthcare provider about continuous glucose monitors during your next appointment.

It’s important to remember that continuous glucose monitoring will not be reimbursed by insurance, unless the patient is diabetic. Typically, it can cost around $80 per month for patients who purchase it over-the-counter. For patients with Medicare coverage, the guidelines are the patient has to be on insulin or have a documented history of low blood sugars.

The Rise in Health Supplements

It has come to our attention that more and more people have begun to take health and nutrition supplements in recent years. Most of these supplements claim to be able to provide certain health benefits including things like increased energy, boosts to immune health, weight loss, or healthier cardiovascular function, among others. However, there is no strong evidence indicating that these supplements are effective or even safe to take.

Because of this, there may be potential risks that shouldn’t be ignored. Unlike medicines, the supplement industry is largely unregulated, meaning that these products may contain fillers, additives, or other unhealthy contaminants, and do not need to pass safety testing for certain supplements before going to market. We would recommend that anyone turning to supplements like this to instead speak with your provider about specific ones, as well as taking a back-to-basics approach to their diet instead. That means prioritizing whole foods, and a balance of natural, healthy ingredients including fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean sources of protein, instead of relying on supplements.

I hope you found this information helpful and informative. Keeping our patients informed about trends like these can be highly beneficial for promoting health and wellness, and is a responsibility that we take very seriously. For more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our family medicine healthcare providers, please contact Abraham Family Medicine. Our office is located in Snellville, not far from Grayson, Dacula, and Lilburn.

How Common is Diabetes for Adults in the US?

blood-tester-in-handNovember is American Diabetes Month here in the US. As healthcare providers and educators, we here at Abraham Family Medicine feel it is our duty to provide helpful information to our patients on conditions like diabetes to reinforce how common and serious they can be. Diabetes is incredibly common for people of all ages, but typically develops once someone is already in their adult years (type 2 diabetes). This is why it’s so critical to understand diabetes and be proactive when it comes to preventing it. Today, we thought it would be instructive to provide some basic statistics about diabetes to show just how common it is, and offer some recommendations on how to prevent or treat it.

  • According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 38.4 million people in the US (or 11.6% of the total US population) are currently living with diabetes.
  • About 8.7 million of these cases (just under 23%) are currently undiagnosed.
  • About 1.2 million new cases of diabetes are diagnosed each year in the US.
  • An additional 97.6 million American adults (38% of the adult population) have prediabetes, and are at an increased risk of developing diabetes.
  • Diabetes risk increases with age, typically starting around age 45.
  • Over 29% of Americans age 65 and older are living with diabetes.

Thankfully, diabetes can often be prevented. In many cases, diabetes and prediabetes develop as a result of unhealthy lifestyle habits that can be reversed or altered. This means making healthy adjustments to your lifestyle including eating a healthier diet (rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins), getting more exercise, quitting smoking, and always making sure to drink plenty of water each day.

It’s important to visit your healthcare provider for an annual check-up appointment each year to make sure that you are healthy and discuss what you can do to avoid health conditions like diabetes. For more information or if you would like to schedule an appointment, please contact Abraham Family Medicine today. We offer a wide variety of general healthcare services for people of all ages at our Snellville office, located very close to Grayson, Dacula, and Lilburn.

Prevention Tips for American Stroke Awareness Month

A Statistical Look at Heart Disease During American Heart MonthStroke awareness is incredibly important for adults in the US. And while many people consider strokes something that can only affect people later in life, the truth is that simply is not the case. Strokes occur as a result of a clot that prevents blood from reaching the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain is ruptured. Although strokes remain among the most common causes of death and long-term disability in the US, there is a lot that most people don’t know about them and what can be done to prevent them. So for National Stroke Awareness month this May, our healthcare providers here at Abraham Family Medicine wanted to share a few simple steps to help our readers prevent strokes before they may occur.

Maintain a Healthy Blood Pressure

High blood pressure (or hypertension) is the leading cause of strokes for adults. And since over half of all men and nearly half of all women in the US have high blood pressure according to the American Heart Association, this is obviously not something to take lightly. Thankfully, there is a lot that you can do to manage and keep tabs on your blood pressure. In addition to making the necessary lifestyle adjustments to lower your blood pressure, it’s critical to monitor your blood pressure at home and speak with your healthcare provider about what more you can be doing.

Be Proactive in Stroke Prevention

The earlier you take the risk of developing a stroke seriously, the more effective your prevention efforts will be. Somewhere between 10%-15% of all strokes occur in adults before they turn 50, and the risk of an early stroke is even more prevalent among African American patients.

So with this in mind, practicing healthy lifestyle habits can be an excellent preventive measure against strokes. This includes exercising daily (at least 30 minutes of activity), eating healthy (myplate.gov can help get you started), and keeping tabs on your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels (many smartwatch apps can help with these things). Even modest steps in the right direction can pay major dividends in the long run.

Cut Out Smoking & Drinking

Both smoking and drinking alcohol regularly can increase a person’s risk of experiencing a stroke. They can also contribute to other health conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure that are highly associated with strokes. A moderate level of drinking can be ok from time to time, but no amount of smoking or use of other nicotine products is healthy.

Be Aware of the Symptoms

While this might not technically help you prevent a stroke, it’s essential information in the case that one should occur. The five main symptoms of a stroke that everyone should know are:

  • Sudden feelings of numbness or weakness in the face, arms, or legs (especially on one side of the body)

  • Sudden confusion or difficulty speaking

  • Sudden vision issues and difficulty seeing out of one or both eyes

  • Sudden trouble walking, balance issues, or dizziness

  • Sudden and severe headache

It’s important to discuss stroke prevention with your healthcare provider during annual appointments and see if there is anything more you can be doing to help fend off a stroke before it’s too late. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Abraham Family Medicine. Our office is located in Snellville, not far from Grayson, Dacula, and Lilburn.

What Are The Most Common Kidney Health Concerns?

Kidney-DiagramKidney health is an extremely important aspect of overall health and wellness. Among our most vital organs, the kidneys are responsible for many things that keep our bodies healthy and functioning as they should, like regulating fluid levels and filtering toxins out of the bloodstream. In honor of the upcoming National Kidney Month, the healthcare providers here at Abraham Family Medicine thought it would be helpful to discuss some of the most common kidney health issues and the effects that they can have on a person’s health.

Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a condition that currently affects over 37 million adults in the US. People with CKD experience damage to their kidneys over time that prevents them from effectively cleaning and filtering the blood the way that healthy kidneys should. In its advanced stages, the condition can cause dangerous levels of fluid, electrolytes, and wastes to build up in the body, increasing the risk of serious infection and potentially fatal kidney failure without proper treatment. In order to effectively treat chronic kidney disease, we must first determine if it is being caused by another underlying condition, like diabetes mellitus or high blood pressure.

Kidney Stones

Kidney stones do not pose the same long-term health risk as Chronic Kidney Disease, but they are certainly nothing to take lightly. These hard deposits of minerals or salts can form inside the kidneys, as well as inside the ureter (the tubes that transport urine from the kidneys) or bladder. They can result from many things including an excess of mineral salts (including calcium) in the body. While they don’t always come with symptoms, kidney stones are often associated with intense pain, pressure in the kidney and bladder areas, nausea, and urination issues. Some stones may pass through the urine naturally, others may require minor surgical intervention.

Kidney Infections

Kidney infections (also known as pyelonephritis) is a unique type of urinary tract infection (UTI) that can affect the kidneys. These infections occur when an existing infection of the urethra or the bladder spreads upwards into the kidneys. Kidney infections can come with a multitude of symptoms including fever, chills, severe nausea, discomfort in the flanks, back, abdomen, or groin, and various urinary issues. In most cases, antibiotics are used as a treatment method for kidney infections.

When working to actively promote good kidney health, it’s essential to make healthy choices and keep up with annual appointments including screenings for kidney issues when appropriate. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Abraham Family Medicine. Our office is located in Snellville, not far from Grayson, Dacula, and Lilburn.

Answering Common Questions About Type 2 Diabetes

type 2 diabetesIn honor of American Diabetes Month this November, the healthcare providers here at Abraham Family Medicine thought it would be helpful to answer a few commonly asked questions about this medical condition. Despite how common type 2 diabetes is for Americans, there is still so much that people may not know or fully understand about diabetes and how it can affect the body. We feel it is incredibly important to provide our patients with knowledge about how diabetes symptoms can be managed with the right care, treatment, and healthy lifestyle habits. Keep reading for all the details:

Question #1: Can prediabetes be reversed?

Yes, people diagnosed with prediabetes can reverse this with healthy adjustments to their lifestyle. When the body’s glucose levels are lowered, the body’s demand for insulin will in turn also decrease, which can help put prediabetes into remission or even reverse the condition entirely. This requires eating a healthy diet (low in carbohydrates), limiting your sugar intake, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, and drinking plenty of water every day.

Question #2: How is type 2 diabetes diagnosed?

‍Type 2 diabetes can be diagnosed in several ways. Diagnostic testing for diabetes is determined by each patient’s age, symptoms, and other relevant factors on an individual case-by-case basis. Certain warning signs of type 2 diabetes that people should be aware of include excessive thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision, numbness or tingling of extremities, unusual weight gain, and chronic fatigue.

Question #3: What medications can be used to help treat diabetes?

In addition to making lifestyle adjustments like eating right and exercising, certain medications that effectively help lower insulin levels can be incredibly helpful for people with type 2 diabetes. Medications like Metformin are typically the first course of treatment. This medication works by lowering glucose production in the liver, which can improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin and allow insulin to be used more effectively. There are alternative treatments if these prove to be unsuccessful.

One essential step in preventing and treating diabetes is to keep up regular annual check-up appointments to ensure that you are healthy and aware of any potential issues before they become serious. For more information on diabetes or to schedule an appointment today, please contact Abraham Family Medicine. We offer a wide variety of general healthcare services for people of all ages at our Snellville office, located very close to Grayson, Dacula, Lilburn, Lawrenceville, Lithonia, Loganville, and Stone Mountain.

Raising Awareness For American Diabetes Month

diabetes November is American Diabetes Month here in the US. While this may seem like common knowledge to many people, it’s important to reiterate that diabetes is one of the most common health conditions facing American adults and children. However, in many cases, diabetes can be prevented or at least managed with the right care, treatment, and healthy lifestyle habits. With this in mind, the healthcare providers here at Abraham Family Medicine wanted to provide some helpful information about diabetes for our readers.

We wanted to begin by providing some basic stats to reinforce just how prevalent diabetes is. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over 34.2 million Americans (10.5% of the US population) are currently living with diabetes. Of these cases, over 7.3 million cases are currently undiagnosed. An additional 88 million Americans (including over 24 million over the age of 65) have prediabetes and are at high risk of developing diabetes.

Needless to say, the threat of diabetes is something that cannot be ignored. Some people are born with diabetes (this is known as type 1 diabetes) and in these cases, prevention is not possible. However, there are several risk factors to be aware of that can contribute to the development of diabetes later in life (type 2 diabetes).

These diabetes risk factors include:

  • Being overweight
  • A lack of regular physical activity
  • A family history of diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Certain pre-existing medical conditions including polycystic ovary syndrome in women

The good news is that diabetes can be prevented. We recommend eating a healthy diet, low in both sugary foods and refined carbs. Exercising regularly can help increase insulin secretion and sensitivity, which may assist in reducing the progression from prediabetes to diabetes. It’s also important to drink plenty of water and avoid smoking.

One of the most effective methods for preventing and treating diabetes is to visit your healthcare provider for annual check-up appointments to make sure that you are healthy. For more information on diabetes or to schedule an appointment, please contact Abraham Family Medicine today. We offer a wide variety of general healthcare services for people of all ages at our Snellville office, located very close to Grayson, Dacula, Lilburn, Lawrenceville, Lithonia, Loganville, and Stone Mountain.

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