Diabetes Care

Diabetes affects more than 463 million adults worldwide. It’s a chronic disease that increases your risk of developing other health problems like heart and kidney disease. Using a holistic approach that focuses on lifestyle changes, the team at I & B Medical Associates in Miami, Florida, provides comprehensive care for people with diabetes. We accept Medicare. Call the office or book an appointment online today.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes affects your body’s management of glucose. Glucose comes from the foods you eat and is used by your body’s cells as energy. Your digestive tract metabolizes glucose, sending it into your bloodstream.

Your pancreas makes the insulin hormone to transport glucose from the bloodstream to your cells for energy. When you have diabetes, your pancreas either stops making insulin or doesn’t make the right amount.

Without the right amount of insulin, glucose levels in the blood increase and damage your blood vessels, organs, and nerves.

What type of diabetes do I have?

Your doctor diagnoses you with one of the four types of diabetes: prediabetes, type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.

Prediabetes

Many people find out they have prediabetes when visiting the doctor for their annual physical exam. Prediabetes shows higher blood glucose levels than normal, but they have not yet reached the diabetes range. While prediabetes is a precursor for type 2 diabetes, it is reversible with lifestyle changes.

Type 1 diabetes

Usually developing during childhood or adolescence, type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition. The immune system of people with type 1 diabetes attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells in their pancreas. Insulin injections to manage blood glucose levels are required if you have type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes

Affecting people of all ages, type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Your pancreas either doesn’t create enough insulin or has stopped creating insulin, which causes an elevated glucose level. Type 2 diabetes is sometimes manageable through lifestyle changes, but it often requires medication management.

Gestational diabetes

Pregnant women who develop diabetes have gestational diabetes. Women with gestational diabetes have blood glucose levels that are too high due to a lack of insulin production. Gestational diabetes typically resolves after giving birth.

About half of women with gestational diabetes later develop type 2 diabetes.

How is diabetes treated?

I & B Medical Associates takes an individualized and holistic approach to all conditions affecting patient health and wellness. Diabetes treatment depends on what type of diabetes you have, your blood glucose numbers, and any related health conditions.

Lifestyle changes and improvements are part of all diabetes management plans. Diabetes treatment may include: 

• Reduced-sugar diet plan
• Exercise program
• Improved stress management
• Insulin injections for type 1 and type 2 diabetes
• Oral hypoglycemic medication for type 2 diabetes
• Home blood glucose monitoring

The I & B Medical Associates team also provides chronic disease management, helping you monitor your ongoing glucose numbers and overall health while providing the guidance and support you need to live an active and full life with diabetes.

Call I & B Medical Associates or schedule your diabetes consultation online today.