Vim & Vigor - Winter 2011 - Gwinnett Medical Center - (Page 45)

Extra crEdit: Get serious about weight loss by setting a reasonable goal. A loss of just 5 to 10 percent of your total body weight can yield measurable health benefits. aSSiGNMENt: DefenD against the flu. Having the flu isn’t pleasant for anyone, but individuals who have even well-controlled diabetes are at greater risk for flu complications, including hospitalization and death. This makes vaccination mandatory. “The flu shot is an annual preventive measure and a CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] recommendation,” Warshaw says. The CDC also recommends a pneumonia vaccine for people with diabetes. Extra crEdit: To further decrease your risk, the ADA recommends that your friends and loved ones also get a flu shot. Treating Diabetes with Bariatric Surgery The International Diabetes Federation now supports weight-loss surgery, or bariatric surgery, as an effective treatment for type 2 diabetes. But could it really be the future of diabetes care? “There’s no question bariatric surgery makes sense for some people with type 2 diabetes,” says Robert Richard, M.D., FACS, medical director of the Center for Surgical Weight Management at Gwinnett Medical Center–Duluth. “It’s not right for everyone, certainly, but if someone has severe diabetes that doesn’t respond to medications, it can definitely make sense.” And bariatric surgery—in particular, gastric bypass—has been found to be effective beyond its ability to cause weight loss. “We now know these operations work by changing the body’s metabolic physiology,” Dr. Richard says. “They don’t prevent you from eating or absorbing food. They change the way the body works.” The National Institutes of Health is sponsoring several studies to determine whether bariatric surgery could help individuals with type 2 diabetes who aren’t obese. “They’re comparing the risks and benefits of surgery with medical therapy to determine the right balance,” Dr. Richard says. “It’s not about finding ways to use more technology. It’s about how we can use different technologies most effectively.”  aSSiGNMENt: take your glucose meDicine. We all want to be healthy, but for some, taking medications feels like a daily reminder that all is not well. “People seem to want to avoid blood-glucoselowering medication, but that’s not the recommended approach for type 2 diabetes today,” Warshaw says. “There are many different kinds of medications designed to address the various reasons why blood glucose is out of control and insulin resistance is up, to get your glucose under control and keep it there.” Experts recommend that you begin taking a bloodglucose-lowering medication that targets insulin resistance as soon as you’re diagnosed. Extra crEdit: Pay attention to how your body responds to your blood-glucose-lowering medications and talk to your doctor about reactions or concerns you have. aSSiGNMENt: photography by photolibrary target your efforts baseD on your risks. Many people who have diabetes worry about complications that may not be a concern for them, and ignore the more likely scenarios. “A big fear is, ‘I’m going to lose my sight or my feet.’ But the reality is, the large-vessel diseases—heart disease, heart attack and stroke—are typically a bigger concern in type 2 diabetes,” Warshaw says. “So it goes back to managing your ABCs.” Extra crEdit: Ask your healthcare provider what complications you’re most at risk for, so you can gear your daily actions toward preventing them. social media Connect with GMC’s Diabetes & Nutrition Education Center at facebook.com/gmc.dnec. To learn more about bariatric surgery, or to see if you’re a candidate, visit gwinnettbariatrics.org. Find an Online Community in Gwinnett Vim & Vigor • WI NTER 2011 45 http://www.facebook.com/gmc.dnec http://www.gwinnettbariatrics.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2011 - Gwinnett Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2011 - Gwinnett Medical Center
Contents
Phil's Feature
New Hip, New Life
Building Better Heart Care
Back in Action
Supplementary Knowledge
Keys to Survival
Clearing the Air
Mark Harmon of NCIS fame makes 60 look good
This One's For the Girls
Life After a Loss
Do Your Diabetes Homework
Healthy Returns
Prime Time Health
The Future of Breast Health
Growing Generosity
Out of the White Coat
Transforming Healthcare

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2011 - Gwinnett Medical Center