Diabetes Education
Learn more about
DIABETES
FCMC will be offering a FREE Diabetes forum Nov. 13, 2020, at the Celebration Unlimited in Fort Littleton, Pa., from 7:30 a.m. to noon. Anyone newly diagnosed with diabetes is encouraged to come, as well as those interested in new tips and education.
General Diabetes Education
It’s possible that you or perhaps family members either have diabetes or could be at risk for the disease. Did you know that there’s a lot you can do to prevent or delay the onset of diabetes? If you are dealing with diabetes now, it’s a good idea to find diabetes education services close to home, near McConnellsburg, Pa., FCMC offers expert diabetes education in a caring atmosphere so you and your family can learn vital information that can improve your quality of life. Our goal is to provide diabetes education so patients can participate in the management of their care and prevent or delay complication of the disease.
betes must take insulin injections every day in order to stay alive. • Type 2 Diabetes: The Diabetes: most common form of diabetes, Type 2 develops later in life, resulting from a combination of genetic factors and lifestyle choices (e.g., a diet high in refined sugars). Type 2 diabetes impairs the body’s ability to make insulin, although it usually doesn’t destroy it completely. • Gestational Diabetes: Pregnant Diabetes: women can also develop a form of the disease known as gestational diabetes, which typically disappears after the delivery of the child.
How to Spot the Symptoms of Diabetes Many diabetics experience no symptoms until they show up at a medical clinic with an emergency, but most will notice the effects of the disease before long. Some of the most common symptoms of diabetes include: - Extreme thirst - Frequent urination - Weight loss - Increased appetite - Extreme fatigue Understanding Diabetes - Blurry vision Diabetes is a serious, chronic medical condition that occurs when the body doesn’t produce enough - Numbness or tingling in the extremities insulin to maintain blood glucose (or blood sugar) - Frequent or persistent levels. A hormone produced by the pancreas, infections insulin converts glucose into energy that the body can use to fuel its daily activities. If the body doesn’t produce enough insulin, then blood sugar backs up Keeping Diabetes at Bay The best way to deal with in the bloodstream instead of being distributed to Type 2 diabetes is to prevent the cells. it in the first place. In order to Whenever people’s blood glucose levels remain do so, people with borderline too high over a long period of time, they become diabetes or relatively high at risk for a number of devastating complications, blood sugar levels must limit including kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, their sugar intake, manage their blindness, neuropathy and cardiovascular disease. weight, increase the amount of In rare cases, the disease can progress so far as to exercise they do on a regular require amputation of limbs or extremities. Forbasis, and incorporate healthy tunately, with the right education and the proper foods into their diet. Even when tools, it’s possible to manage the condition and such corrective measures come prevent the worst effects. too late to prevent the disease, Types of Diabetes The term “diabetes” does not refer to a single dis- they can help to delay the onset of diabetes. ease, but rather a collection of diseases that affect the body’s ability to produce or manage insulin. The There is no cure for diabetes, but it is possible to manage the three most common forms of the diabetes are: disease with the help of a dia • Type 1 Diabetes: The Diabetes: most devastating form betes doctor and the resources of the disease, Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune provided by a medical health disorder. Also called juvenile diabetes, it typically takes hold in childhood or adolescence, causing the center. To begin with, diabetics should follow the same advice immune system to attack insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. People who suffer from Type 1 dia- as pre-diabetics, which means 8
2020 FULTON COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER DIRECTORY
improving their diet and exercise routine. Of course, those with full-blown diabetes need to work even harder to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Many must take insulin injections to compensate for the fact that their body doesn’t produce enough of the hormone on its own. Continue Your Diabetes Education The first step toward preventing or managing diabetes is understanding it. That’s why the team at the Fulton Medical Center in McConnellsburg, Pa., places so much emphasis on diabetes education. In addition to offering emergency care services, we teach people how to tackle the disease head-on. By doing so, we help improve patient outcomes and ensure a higher quality of life. For more information, call the Fulton County Medical Center at (717) 485-6165. ■
