How We Help You Manage Your Diabetes

If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes or are concerned that you might be diabetic, you might be worried about what this disease can mean for your health and well-being. While diabetes is a serious condition, there are ways to effectively manage and control your diabetes and symptoms. 

Dr. Ara Shafrazian, Dr. Arthur Babakhanians, and the rest of our team at LibertyMed Health Group in Glendale, California, have years of experience treating diabetes. We can accurately diagnose your condition, educate you on your management options, and help you prevent any diabetic complications from arising. 

What is diabetes?

Normally, your body uses insulin to convert the glucose in your food into energy that your body can use. If you’re diabetic, this process is disrupted, causing your blood sugar levels to become too high. There are two types of diabetes. 

Type 1 diabetes

In Type 1 diabetes, your immune system attacks the cells in your pancreas that produce insulin. Type 1 diabetes is sometimes called juvenile diabetes, as it’s often diagnosed in childhood, but it can occur at any age.

Type 2 diabetes

In Type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin or your cells become insulin-resistant. Type 2 diabetes is much more common, accounting for about 91% of diagnoses in the United States. 

Prediabetes 

If your blood sugar levels are higher than normal but below the level required to be diagnosed as diabetic, you might be prediabetic. This means your risk of developing diabetes in the future is high, but you can make lifestyle changes to prevent this from happening. 

How to manage your diabetes

If you suspect you might be diabetic or prediabetic, we can quickly diagnose you with a simple in-office blood test. Once we confirm your diagnosis, we work with you to craft a personalized treatment plan so you can stay in control of your condition. 

People with Type 1 diabetes need regular insulin and blood sugar monitoring. For prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes, we recommend making lifestyle modifications first, but you might need insulin and other medications as well if those efforts aren’t enough to bring your blood sugar levels down. 

For all types of diabetes, we can help you manage your diabetes by supporting you in making the following lifestyle adjustments: 

Eat healthily 

We offer nutrition counseling so you can follow a healthy diet with lots of fresh foods such as whole grains, vegetables, and lean proteins. We suggest you avoid sugary foods, sweetened fruit juices, and drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, as these can negatively impact your blood sugar levels. 

Exercise regularly

We can advise you in creating a plan to get at least 30 minutes of exercise five days a week. Your activity should elevate your heart rate — try walking, swimming, or biking. If you also need to lose weight for medical reasons, we can create a tailored nutrition and activity plan for you. 

Check your blood glucose levels 

Our team at LibertyMed Health Group can show you what options you have to check your blood sugar levels using self-monitoring blood glucose devices. These generally include a small lance to prick your skin, test strips, and a meter to read the test strip so you know where you stand.

When using your device, make sure your hands are clean before touching your meter or test strips, and don’t use a test strip more than once. Make sure you read your device’s instruction manual for full details on how to correctly read your levels. 

If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, our team at LibertyMed Health Group can help you manage your condition and assist you in making healthy lifestyle changes. To find out more, call our office at 818-241-4129 for an appointment or book online today.