Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes high blood sugar levels and significantly increases the risk of health complications, including doubling the risk of heart disease. With the right education and support, individuals can prevent serious complications and lead healthy lives. At MNT Associates, LLC in Longview, Texas, our team of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists provides comprehensive diabetes management through convenient telehealth visits for adults across Texas. Contact us today or use our online booking to learn more about how to effectively manage your diabetes.

Book Online

What causes diabetes?

Diabetes changes how your body uses insulin, a hormone your pancreas produces. Insulin is responsible for crucial metabolic activities like transporting sugar (glucose) into cells and lowering blood sugar levels when they get too high.

The cause of your diabetes depends on which type you have:

Type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes begins when your immune system mistakenly attacks the pancreas. The damaged pancreas stops producing insulin, resulting in high blood sugar.

Type 2 diabetes

People with Type 2 diabetes have a healthy pancreas, but the cells in their bodies stop responding to insulin (insulin resistance). As a result, sugar can’t get inside the cells, depriving them of fuel and forcing blood sugar levels to rise.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes happens in women during pregnancy. Women who develop gestational diabetes didn’t have diabetes before their pregnancy.

Does diabetes cause symptoms?

Diabetes causes a range of symptoms, including:

  • Excessive thirst
  • Frequent urination
  • Increased hunger
  • Dry, itchy skin
  • Blurry vision
  • Fatigue

These symptoms appear quickly in people with Type 1 diabetes. However, you might not notice the symptoms if you have Type 2 diabetes because they develop slowly.

How does diabetes affect my health?

High blood sugar is a significant threat to your health because it damages small blood vessels and nerves, leading to severe health complications, including:

  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Diabetic foot ulcers (increasing the risk of amputation)
  • Vision loss (diabetic retinopathy)
  • Chronic kidney disease (leading to kidney failure)
  • Peripheral artery disease (clogged arteries in your legs)

Diabetes can also take a toll on your mental health, often causing depression, anxiety, and stress.

Can I stay healthy with diabetes?

You can stay healthy and prevent complications by keeping your blood sugar within the healthy range. Controlling your blood sugar requires daily attention to your diet, exercise, and overall health — steps that are easier with support and coaching from Kit at MNT Associates, LLC.

Kit follows a personalized, one-on-one approach, helping each person meet their goals. Your diabetes management plan can include:

  • Diabetes education
  • Nutritional counseling
  • Carbohydrate management
  • Exercise recommendations
  • Weight loss management
  • Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)
  • Insulin pumps

Kit has extensive experience teaching patients how to use insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs).

Call MNT Associates, LLC, today or book a telehealth appointment online to get expert wellness coaching for diabetes.