Upstate Senior Living 2020

36 | SL 4 www.UpstatePhysiciansSC.com | www.HealthLinksUpstate.com YOU CAN DELAY OR PREVENT DIABETES Type 2 diabetes is a serious disease caused by an excess of sugar in the blood because the body is unable to make or efficiently use insulin, a hormone created by the pancreas that helps turn glucose from food into energy. Left uncontrolled, diabetes can damage the eyes, limbs and kidneys and even contribute to heart attacks and strokes. But what about prediabetes? Once you are diagnosed with this condition, is there anything you can do to alter the dire con- sequences that might await you? Can you avoid the course of the disease? Is it possible that changes in your diet and lifestyle might put you back on the path to a longer and healthier life? The answer is yes, according to Dr. Elizabeth Bond, who is with Carolina Endocrine Associates in North Charleston. “Once you are diagnosed with prediabetes, the goal is to delay the onset of diabetes or prevent it entirely. We can do that by intensive lifestyle implementation,” she explained, pointing out that changing the way you eat is vital if you hope to avoid a diagnosis of diabetes. That means a diet consisting of lean proteins and fish, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables and limiting simple carbohydrates such as white rice, white potatoes, snack foods, ice cream, cook- ies and cakes. Dr. Bond said eliminating sugary drinks such as soda, fruit juice and sweet tea is extremely important as well. Dr. John Cotter of New Horizon Family Health Services in Travelers Rest agreed that prediabetes doesn’t have to lead to diabetes. “It’s real simple,” he said. “You lose weight, exercise and elim- inate processed sugars. The first step is to get sugar out By Brian Sherman CHANGING YOUR LIFESTYLE