Keeping diabetes in check

Keeping diabetes in check - latimes.com div.thumbnail span.credit { font-weight: normal !important;}div.article div.articlerail ul li.relatedTitle, div.storygallery div.storyGalleryRail ul li.relatedTitle { font-size: 12px !important;} Mobile Site Subscribe/Manage Account Print Ads Place an Ad LAT Store Jobs Cars Real Estate Rentals More Classifieds ? Health HOME Breaking iPhone Apps Weather Traffic Obituaries Community Crosswords Breast Cancer Wine Club Local L.A. Now Politics Crime Education O.C. Westside Neighborhoods Environment Obituaries FindLocal U.S. Politics Now Top of the Ticket Science & Environment Obituaries Religion World Afghanistan & Pakistan Africa Asia Europe Iran Iraq Latin America Mexico Under Siege Middle East Business Money & Co. Technology Personal Finance Small Business Company Town Jobs Real Estate Cars Sports Lakers Clippers Dodgers Angels NFL Ducks/Kings USC UCLA Soccer High Schools Scores/Stats Entertainment Movies TV Music Celebrity Arts & Culture Company Town Calendar Envelope Books FindLocal Health Booster Shots Fitness & Nutrition Medicine Mental Health Healthcare Reform Breast Cancer Hospitals Living Home Food Image Books Parenting FindLocal Brand X Magazine Your Scene Cars Travel California Hawaii Mexico Las Vegas Europe Asia Australia Travel & Deal Blog Destinations Opinion Editorials Op-Ed Letters Endorsements Opinion L.A. More Corrections Readers' Rep Photos Video Blogs Data Desk Comics Puzzles & Games Community Mobile Site Subscribe/Manage Account Print Ads Place an Ad LAT Store Jobs Cars Real Estate Rentals More Classifieds Health Topics: Nutrition Labels HealthKey: Breast Cancer HealthKey: Health A-Z Childhood Obesity Parkinson's Disease Keeping diabetes in check For those with Type 2 or at risk of it, simple lifestyle choices can mean the difference between a mostly normal life and one filled with serious health complications. Left to right: Ernesto Acosta (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times); Carole West (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times); Laura Bauden (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times); Nancy Kaneshiro (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times).

Share Related Steps to keep Type 2 diabetes under control An artificial pancreas for diabetics Profile: Nancy Kaneshiro tried weight loss and exercise, then lap-band surgery Stories Profile: Ernesto Acosta started an exercise and medication regimen Profile: Carole West takes medication and exercises Profile: Laura Bauden went to a weight-loss clinic See more stories ≫ X A graduation gift from dad A lot of choice in diabetes medications Diabetes: Recent news and resources By Kendall Powell, Special to the Los Angeles Times November 1, 2010

E-mail Print Text Size la-he-diabetes-control-intro-20101101 Diet and exercise. Diet and exercise. It's a drumbeat most middle-aged and older patients hear from their doctors every year. But for those with Type 2 diabetes, these basic lifestyle factors can play a key role in controlling the disorder and preventing serious complications such as blindness, nerve disorders and kidney failure.

People with Type 2 diabetes aren't able to respond properly to insulin, an essential hormone that helps transfer sugar from the bloodstream to cells, where it is used for energy. When patients become insulin resistant, blood sugar can build up to dangerous levels. The biggest risk factors for the disease are genetic predisposition and being overweight. More than 23 million Americans have Type 2 diabetes, and an additional 57 million are at risk of developing it, according to the American Diabetes Assn.

With consistent blood sugar control and careful attention to cholesterol and blood pressure levels, most Type 2 diabetics can keep the disease in check. Large studies confirm the power of healthy habits. Adopting a low-fat, low-calorie diet and regular exercise to trim 5% to 10% of one's body weight is enough to prevent Type 2 diabetes from developing or to bring diabetics' blood sugar, cholesterol and other key markers within healthy limits.

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The four people featured here made dramatic lifestyle changes to battle their diabetes ? with varying degrees of success. One paid for coaching through a private clinic, another opted for lap-band surgery, a third relied on a combination of medications and exercise, while a fourth employed sheer willpower. Read on to see how they fared. Copyright ⓒ 2010, Los Angeles Times

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