People who are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or are found to be prediabetic can greatly improve their health and well-being with the help of a healthcare team that consists of many specialists, from an endocrinologist to an eye doctor and from a dentist to a podiatrist. However, controlling your diabetes always starts with a primary care doctor.
A primary care doctor serves not just like the first point of contact but also the doctor who can provide continuity of care. A primary care doctor can help control your diabetes in several ways. Ultimately, it is you who has to manage your diabetes, but a primary care doctor can make recommendations that will help you become healthier and avoid diabetes complications.
A1C Levels Monitoring
Your primary care provider will monitor your A1C levels and help you keep them below 7 percent, as recommended by the American Diabetes Association. Checking your A1C levels also lets you know which choices or habits are not helping or are helping control your diabetes. Your primary care doctor can also run blood and urine tests to determine how well you are managing your diabetes and recommend lifestyle changes to maintain normal A1C levels.
Lifestyle Changes
Your primary care provider will also make lifestyle recommendations related to:
Nutrition
Your primary care doctor will create a meal plan that is high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals and low in calories and saturated fats. Carbohydrates are important, but foods with a high glycemic index (GI) should be limited. The focus of diabetic meal plans is to get you the nutrition you need while keeping your blood sugar levels in check.
Weight Loss
An important aspect of controlling your diabetes is maintaining a healthy weight. It is common for prediabetic patients or patients with type 2 diabetes to be overweight or obese. By losing 10 percent of your body weight, you can see significant changes in your health. Prediabetic patients can also reverse their condition. Losing weight involves eating healthy and normal portions and increasing physical activity.
Physical Activity
If you’ve never exercised, a good place to start would be with light exercises like walking. Before starting any exercise, consult with your primary care provider. The key to losing weight from exercising is consistency. Aim for 30 minutes to an hour of cardio exercises with resistance exercises a few times per week.
Medication Management
Some patients may need medication to manage type 2 diabetes, like Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors or biguanides. Sometimes one medication is enough, but some patients need a combination of blood sugar-lowering medications. Your primary care doctor will help with medication management to ensure you get the most benefit out of your medications.
By controlling your diabetes, you will feel better and have more control over your life. Diabetes that is poorly controlled can lead to debilitating consequences.
Primary Care Doctor for Diabetes in Eatonton, GA
Our family care doctors at Lake Oconee Concierge Medicine provide concierge medicine services to patients with chronic diseases, including those who are prediabetic or have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Being diagnosed with a chronic condition can be overwhelming and can make you feel alone, which is why our compassionate concierge doctors provide personalized primary care services that enable us to be with our patients whenever they need us. If you have questions about our concierge primary care services, call Lake Oconee Concierge Medicine at (706) 484-9824 or use our convenient online form to sign up now.
