CONTROL OF YOUR DIABETIC CONDITION WITH PHYSICAL THERAPY……
In honor of National Diabetes Awareness Month, I wanted to take time to offer some insight into the importance of maintaining your health to prevent this common, yet debilitating disease. The topic of diabetes hits very close to home for me for several reasons. One, I was on the board of the American Diabetes Association, and two, my brother
Luis Zuniga PT, DPT, CHT, MTC
struggled for a long time with complications related to his diabetes. He dealt with severe hip pain and had a challenge getting cleared for replacement surgery because of the risks associated with post- operative healing. You see when you’re diabetic, your healing process is slowed, and infection is at a greater risk. It effects the heart and circulatory systems so an operation could be very risky if his A1C (blood sugar) levels weren’t under control. They needed to be controlled! One factor in diabetes is family history and genetics. Some of us are just at a greater risk. Having great muscle strength and staying active is a great way to naturally prevent diabetes. Muscle is a sugar-burning machine, therefore more is better. One of the things that happens with type II diabetics is that over time, our cells become insulin resistant and they end up in a self-perpetuating disease process. It gets out of hand and eventually, we become solely reliant on medication to manage the disease as well as the potential health complications diabetes poses. Don’t get me wrong, medication is important for this condition. We’re able to manage diabetes as well as we do because of medicine and great medical science. As time passes though, many diabetics end up having to take more and more medication. They may become even become insulin dependent. For many diabetics, if they’re on a committed program of diet and exercise, they can lower their need for medication and take more control of their wellbeing. As we age, we may find our muscles and joints don’t work so well. It hurts to move because of inflammatory signals we can control, so some of us do avoid moving. If you can’t move, and you have the risk factors, the deck is stacked for developing diabetes, and if you’re already a diabetic, having limited mobility is a greater challenge for your health. Motion is lotion. The list of benefits of physical therapy is long when it comes to combating diabetes and its associated conditions. Physical therapy can keep you active so that you’re able to move your muscles and joints to love your life. Here at FYZICAL El Paso, we work with you to teach exercise and make the necessary lifestyle adjustments to fight off diabetes and its complications. Diet and exercise play a key role in the management or prevention of this disease, and we often work as a team alongside your primary care physician to figure out the best plan of action.
I always suggest to friends that when we want to begin combating diabetes, start by placing a tape measure around our tummy. Write that number down-no judgment please just write it down. We’ll see why in a second. Start a program to control your diet, and maybe consider starting a practice of intermittent fasting. Baby steps. This must be part of a conversation with your doctor, but the science is gaining traction and is linked to a decrease in A1C. Your pancreas works better and in turn the risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other diseases is lowered. Inflammatory conditions improve so pain gets better. As that tape measure’s width gets smaller and smaller, rest assured that you’re winning the fight against this disease. Diabetes is so common for many in our community, but that doesn’t mean it should be taken lightly! I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of gimmicks online and in the media about diabetes prevention and treatment. Companies advertise “miracle” pills that offer quick fixes for diabetes and the prevention of the disease, however, there is no such thing. Maintaining your health requires attention and effort. It’s a team effort with you, your doctor and your therapist. Give us a call to learn more about the benefits of physical therapy, and how you can take control of your health. It’s national diabetes awareness month so there’s no better time than the present to get help and become more active! Don’t wait until it’s too late. The more effort you make to prevent diabetes and other illnesses associated with an elevated A1C the better you will love your life!
Best! - Luis, Fyzical El Paso
NORTHEAST OFFICE 4758 Loma Del Sur El Paso, TX 79934 P: (915) 755-0738 F: (915) 593-5187
EAST OFFICE 8111 N. Loop
WEST SIDE OFFICE 4646 N. Mesa El Paso, TX 79912 P: (915) 313-6331 F: (915) 533-9672
JOE BATTLE OFFICE 2270 Joe Battle Blvd
El Paso, TX 79907 P: (915) 593-4985 F: (915) 593-5187
El Paso, TX 79938 P: (915) 855-7780 F: (915) 855-7781
www.fyzical.com/northeast-el-paso www.fyzical.com/east-el-paso www.fyzical.com/west-el-paso/ www.fyzical.com/joe-battle-el-paso
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