Diabetes is a disease that can lead to devastating consequences on your overall wellness. Whether you’ve been dealing with type 1 diabetes since childhood, or have developed type 2 diabetes later in life, it can dramatically affect your health and finances.
The health risks are high, especially in 2021: diabetes increases your risk of complications and death from COVID-19. This makes diabetics especially vulnerable to the impacts of the pandemic. Even if you don’t catch COVID-19, diabetes can cause a myriad of health problems, such as kidney failure, cataracts, heart attack and stroke.
Diabetes doesn’t just affect your health – it affects your wallet. According to the American Diabetes Association, those with diabetes pay, on average, 2.3 times as much for medical care than those who do not have diabetes. Not only that, but 1 in 7 dollars spent on medical treatment in the United States goes towards helping those with diabetes, making this disease a strain on the medical system.
November is National Diabetes Month. We are passionate about providing those with diabetes with the best care possible, so they can maintain a high quality of life; after all, if diabetes is treated early enough, its most devastating effects can be avoided. Read on to learn more about diabetes as a metabolic disorder, and how bariatric surgery can help.
How Does Diabetes Affect Metabolism?
Maintaining a healthy metabolism is a key component in maintaining the energy you need to live your best life. Your metabolism is the process of creating energy from the food and drinks that you consume. There are many things that influence metabolism, including your eating habits, sleep pattern, and genetics.
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder and can dramatically affect your energy levels as a result. Along with the many other adverse health effects of diabetes, the effects on your metabolism can lead to weight gain.
Diabetes occurs when the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin, a hormone that impacts the body’s ability to process sugars, known as glucose, in the blood. Being unable to process glucose limits your body’s capability to process energy, which is why diabetes is a metabolic disorder.
Type 1 diabetes is typically present from a young age; people with type 1 diabetes cannot produce enough insulin themselves. However, 90% of diabetics have type 2 diabetes, which can be caused by being overweight. Type 2 diabetes increases your chance of developing a stroke or heart disease. Aside from weight gain, other symptoms of type 2 diabetes include:
- Increased hunger levels;
- Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet;
- A compromised immune system, leaving you more prone to infections or illness; and
- Decreased energy levels, due to the slowing of metabolism.
At the Weight Loss and Wellness Center, we meet many people with type 2 diabetes who are overweight and lacking the energy to make the changes that they need to start living their healthiest lifestyle. Treating obesity can help cure diabetes if it is done quickly enough after the onset of the disease. However, bariatric surgery can help those with this metabolic disorder get back on track.
How can Bariatric Surgery Help Diabetes?
According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, weight loss surgery contributes to the remission of type 2 diabetes 92% of the time. This is because bariatric surgery helps with weight loss; as someone with type 2 diabetes loses weight, their ability to process insulin becomes stronger. This also speeds up their metabolism, which makes it easier for people to keep losing weight and maintain healthy habits.
Those who receive bariatric surgery from the Weight Loss and Wellness Center are not just signing up to lose weight. Dr. Majid and her team are committed to finding the best weight loss program for your personal needs, including making a plan that improves your chances of beating type 2 diabetes. Together, we’ll decide on the best type of bariatric surgery for your body, alongside non-surgical weight loss solutions. After your surgery, Dr. Majid is your partner in your health journey for life; you can rely on the Weight Loss and Wellness Center to provide you with continuous support in reaching your goals.
Learn more about the different types of bariatric surgeries we offer here or see some of our happy patients talk about their weight loss success stories here. Contact us today to schedule your consultation.
Dr. Saniea F. Majid, MD, FACS, FASMBS, is our founder, director, and award-winning surgeon with more than 10 years of experience treating patients. She is the former President, and current board member of the New Jersey state chapter of ASMBS, a member of the Board of Directors at New Jersey Doctor-Patient Alliance, and Chair of the Post Operative Weight Recurrence Task Force (POWER). Dr. Majid has devoted her life to helping people like you lose weight and transform their lives and not only started and directed the Metabolic and Bariatric Center at Saint Michaels Medical Center but also achieved the National Center of Excellence. Dr. Majid is one of only three bariatric doctors and surgeons featured in the 2023 Healthy Living magazine published by NJ Top Docs. She is also a former President, current board member, and regular guest speaker for the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) where she trains bariatric surgeons on the latest methods and techniques.
