diabetes

Diabetic and Sleep Deprivation Go Hand in Hand

Sleep. We talk about it a lot; not getting enough and needing more are usually at the top of the list. For people with diabetes or those with pre-diabetes, the relationship between sleep and blood glucose level is antagonistic, as they both can negatively impact the other.

To start, not sleeping enough or sleeping too much can increase your risk for type 2 diabetes.  Additionally, diabetes complications like increased thirst and urination can make it harder for you to sleep; yet diabetes can also make you more tired and fatigued.

If you are diabetic, you know how difficult it can be to sleep if your blood glucose levels are not in check. Eating healthily and exercising are crucial to keeping blood glucose levels where they should be and in turn increasing your chances for a good night’s sleep. Test your blood sugar before bed, so that you can head off any problems that may interrupt your sleep later.

For those of you who are at risk of developing diabetes, your sleep habits can negatively impact your risk. It is not uncommon to reach for sugary and caffeinated drinks to help wake you up in the morning.  If you did not sleep well, these drinks may be your go-to, all the while adding to your weight and further increasing your risk for diabetes.

With that said, it’s also been noted that taking naps and sleeping extremely long stretches of time can also increase your risk. Disrupting your circadian rhythms and internal clock can lead to issues with your metabolism, cardiovascular system, and immune system.

So what does all this contradictory information mean when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep?  Ultimately, it means that your diet and exercise play a key role in the value of the sleep you get. If you are pre-diabetic, getting regular exercise and eating healthy can prevent diabetes as a whole and make it easier for you to sleep at night. You will also not be as fatigued during the day and can avoid the unhelpful and unnecessary naps.

For diabetics, regular exercise and diet can help keep your glucose levels within a normal range and may also help prevent the typical culprits that wake you up at night: frequent urination, restless legs, nervousness and overheating.

Diabetes Management in Wellington

If you are concerned about how your sleep is affecting your diabetes or your risk for diabetes, board-certified internal medicine specialist Dr. Ishan can help. He will assess your situation and offer lifestyle and dietary recommendations to help control your diabetes or reduce your risk. To make an appointment with our diabetes specialist in Wellington or Royal Palm Beach, request an appointment online or call (561) 434-1935 today.

Is Type 2 Diabetes Preventable?

With the alarming rise in diabetes diagnoses in recent years, it should come as no surprise that the medical community is doing all they can to thwart the increase. This includes empowering patients, both adults and children at risk of developing diabetes, through education.

There are 2 main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Understanding the difference between these can help you understand your risk and prevention.

Type 1 diabetes, also called juvenile diabetes because it typically shows up in childhood, is a result of your body not producing enough insulin. While the cause is still not completely understood, genetics certainly play a critical role in its development. Type 1 diabetes accounts for 5% of diabetes in the adult population.

On the other hand, type 2 diabetes happens when your body produces enough insulin but you are resistant to it. It seems to be caused predominantly by lifestyle factors and makes up nearly 95% of adult diabetes. While genetics still may play some role, there are ways you can lower your risk for developing it.

Healthy lifestyle habits are a key component to lowering your risk. While there currently is no magic vaccine that prevents type 2 diabetes, there are simple lifestyle and diet changes that can greatly reduce your risk. These same changes also benefit other areas of your health, like your heart and lungs.

You are seven times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you are overweight. Moreover, if you are obese it makes you 20 – 40 times more likely to develop diabetes. Keep your weight within a healthy range to help lower your risk of developing diabetes.

Be active! Not only does exercise help you lose excess weight, but working your muscles also helps to improve their ability to use insulin and absorb glucose. This in turn can lower the stress on your insulin-making cells.

Watch what you eat. Spikes in blood sugar and insulin take a toll on insulin-making cells. This makes you more susceptible to developing diabetes. Choosing foods like whole grains that slowly and gradually increase your blood sugar and insulin, over starchy and sugary foods and drinks, can significantly lower your risk.

It goes without saying that quitting smoking can drastically increase your overall health, but did you know it could greatly reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes? Smokers are statistically much more likely to develop diabetes (and many other unnecessary diseases and disorders) than non-smokers. So please, quit smoking as soon as possible.

If you are concerned about your risk or want to be evaluated for your risk for diabetes, board-certified internal medicine specialist Dr. Ishan Gunawardene and Nurse Practitioner Shariffa Gunawardene at Wellington Advanced Medical are here to help. Through a comprehensive exam, our compassionate providers fully assess your risk, and then offer lifestyle and dietary change support. To make an appointment with one of our diabetes experts in Wellington or Royal Palm Beach, request an appointment online or call (561) 434-1935 today.

What is the Difference Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes and Who is at Risk?

Diabetes is a word that’s often thrown around in conversation or in media coverage due to increasing awareness of this ever-growing disease. The information can be very confusing, as there are different types of diabetes with different causes, symptoms, and risk groups. Diabetes is typically diagnosed as either type 1 or type 2, and they can be quite different.

Here are some key differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes is also called juvenile diabetes due to the fact that most individuals with this disease are diagnosed before the age 20. Type 1 is an autoimmune disorder with no known cause, except for the possibility of being passed down through genetics.

Healthy bodies produce insulin in order to break down glucose from the food we eat and help the body’s cells to absorb it for energy. If you have type 1 diabetes, your body produces cells that create insulin but your body mistakes these cells as foreign bodies and destroys them, preventing you from producing insulin. In these cases, you are not able to absorb the necessary glucose without regular injections of insulin.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type in the United States, and primarily affects individuals over the age of 45, those with high blood pressure or cholesterol, those with 120% or more of the recommended body weight, and those with a family history from a first-degree relative. Type 2 is brought on very slowly and is preventable if changes are made to one’s lifestyle and diet. Pre-diabetes alerts an individual to the oncoming of diabetes type 2 before the level of one’s blood sugar rises above the threshold of type 2. In order to prevent type 2 from occurring, one must recognize the changes they need to make in their diets and in daily activity and make a conscious effort to improve their condition before onset occurs.

Both type 1 and type 2 sufferers experience some of the same symptoms: frequent urination, constant thirst or dry mouth, chronic fatigue, blurred vision, excessive hunger, or sudden unexplained weight loss. Diabetes is a very serious disease and should be managed carefully and diligently. Other than gestational diabetes, which only occurs in pregnant women and resolves on its own most of the time, type 1 and type 2 diabetes are incurable. They must be diligently managed to maintain healthy blood sugar levels, and to avoid further complications.

Board-certified internal medicine specialist Dr. Ishan Gunawardene and his wife, Nurse Practitioner Shariffa, have helped many patients living with diabetes enjoy happier, healthier lives. Yes, a diabetes diagnosis may sound scary, but we can help you learn how to manage your diabetes through medication management and lifestyle and dietary changes. For more information on managing your diabetes in Wellington or Royal Palm Beach, request an appointment or call (561) 434-1935 today.

Do you suffer from type 1 or type 2 diabetes? What’s the most difficult thing about living with this disorder you’ve faced so far?

Can Weather Affect High Blood Sugar?

Diabetics need to be very informed about what may or may not adversely affect their health. Spikes in blood sugar can be very dangerous, and sometimes things that may be out of our control can put you in a risky situation. Extreme heat can, in fact, affect your blood sugar control! During the summer, temperatures can reach an all-time high. Coupled with outdoor activities and tropical vacations, summer is usually a hard time of the year for diabetics. More people end up in the emergency room and are hospitalized because of illness due to heat strokes.

High temperatures can have a negative effect on other diabetic management supplies, such as test strips. Insulin can be damaged by the extreme temperatures, making them ineffective and unusable.

Here are a few precautions you should take to help you prevent summer from putting a damper on your plans:

Stay Hydrated:
Staying properly hydrated can cool down your body systems to prevent heat strokes. In the heat, increased sweating can quickly cause dehydration. When you are dehydrated, the concentration of blood sugar heightens as you have less blood flow in your kidneys. Drinking plenty of water regularly throughout the day can help prevent many of these heat-related issues.

Store Your Medications Properly:
High temperatures can impact the effectiveness of your medication. It is important to note the instructions on the back of your medicine, and do as it says. Most medications will suggest where to store it and in what temperatures to store it in. Never store your medications in the car, and be wary of taking them around with you if you are spending the whole day outside in high temperatures.

Stay Out of the Heat:
Staying out of the heat may seem impossible, but it is possible to make some minor changes so that you can still enjoy being outside during the summer without risking your health. At the beach, lay under a big umbrella, wear hats and sunglasses, and stay inside between the hours of 12pm-3pm, when the heat is at its highest.

Know when to Exercise:
When you exercise, your body warms up and sweat could make it so that dehydration is easier. It is important to exercise when the temperature has cooled down. You may want to exercise during the early mornings or in the evenings, to prevent spikes in your blood sugar. And again, remember to drink plenty of water while exercising.

Test Your Blood Sugar Levels Frequently:
Since temperatures can make your sugar levels fluctuate, it is a good idea to test your sugar levels more frequently than usual. This will let you know whether you need to take immediate actions.
Summer can be a very fun time for vacations and family get-togethers, but heat can affect your blood sugar levels.

Diabetics need to follow certain steps to prevent risky situations. If you would like to get more suggestions about how to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, our experienced providers are always there to help! Call us at (561) 434-1935 today, to schedule an appointment!