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Diabetes Management

Type 2 Diabetes is a rapidly expanding disease in the Yakima Valley.

Diabetes is a long-term condition in which the body has trouble controlling blood sugar and using it for energy. With Type 2 Diabetes, the pancreas does not make enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that allows the body to use sugar to fuel muscles and other tissues. Eventually the body makes too much insulin and blood sugar rises. High blood sugar is damaging to the body and can cause other serious health problems including heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease.

Are you at risk?

Today, about 1 in 10 Americans have Type 2 diabetes. Symptoms often start slowly. They can include greater thirst and hunger, frequent trips to the bathroom, and weight loss that happens without trying. The disease can also cause tiredness, blurry vision, slow-healing sores, and numbness or tingling in the feet or fingers.

If you or a family member have any of the symptoms above, please schedule a visit with your primary care provider for evaluation and testing. Your primary care provider can help support and guide you, and is a great source of information. They can help with:

  • Development of a healthy eating and activity plan
  • Teach you to test your blood sugar and record the results
  • Recognize the signs of high or low blood sugar and what to do about it
  • If needed, how to give yourself insulin
  • Monitor your feet, skin, and eyes to catch problems early
  • Where to buy diabetes supplies
  • How to manage stress
Children are at risk too.

Childhood obesity rates are rising rapidly, and so are the rates of Type 2 diabetes in children. More than 75% of children with Type 2 diabetes have a close relative who has it, too. Shared habits, more than genes, are responsible for the increased risk. Consider making healthy changes that benefit the whole family, including:

  • Drinking more water and limiting sugary drinks
  • Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables
  • Take steps to make favorite meals healthier
  • Going for a walk daily or engaging in physical play or sports

Establishing care with a primary care provider is very important. If you do not have a primary care provider, Astria Health Centers offer primary care, pediatricians, and specialty services. And when you need a specialist for more support managing your diabetes. Astria Health offers podiatry to care for foot problems, endocrinologists, sleep medicine, and wound care specialists. Physicians and nurse practitioners see patients throughout the Lower Yakima Valley, from Prosser through Union Gap, and are accepting new patients. Visit www.astria.health/locations to find the health center closest to you.

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