Q&A for How to Control Diabetes

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What should elderly diabetics take in addition to eating healthy?

Andrea Rudominer, MD, MPH
Board Certified Pediatrician & Board Certified Integrative Medicine Doctor
Dr. Andrea Rudominer is a board certified Pediatrician and board certified Integrative Medicine Doctor based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Rudominer has over 15 years of medical care experience and specializes in preventive health care, obesity, adolescent care, ADHD, and culturally competent care. Dr. Rudominer received her MD from the University of California, Davis, and completed a residency at the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University. Dr. Rudominer also has an MPH in Maternal Child Health from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a Member of the American Board of Pediatrics, a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a Member and Delegate of the California Medical Association, and a Member of the Santa Clara County Medical Association.

Andrea Rudominer, MD, MPH

Board Certified Pediatrician & Board Certified Integrative Medicine Doctor

Expert Answer

Cinnamon (about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon per day) can reduce hemoglobin a1c and stabilize your blood sugar. Vitamin D and chromium supplements may also be beneficial. The supplement berberine has been known traditionally as a blood sugar stabilizer, so you may consider using it. Just make sure that you discuss all of this with your doctor before you start adding things to your diet.

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What is the most important thing you can do if you're diabetic?

Andrea Rudominer, MD, MPH
Board Certified Pediatrician & Board Certified Integrative Medicine Doctor
Dr. Andrea Rudominer is a board certified Pediatrician and board certified Integrative Medicine Doctor based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Rudominer has over 15 years of medical care experience and specializes in preventive health care, obesity, adolescent care, ADHD, and culturally competent care. Dr. Rudominer received her MD from the University of California, Davis, and completed a residency at the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University. Dr. Rudominer also has an MPH in Maternal Child Health from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a Member of the American Board of Pediatrics, a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, a Member and Delegate of the California Medical Association, and a Member of the Santa Clara County Medical Association.

Andrea Rudominer, MD, MPH

Board Certified Pediatrician & Board Certified Integrative Medicine Doctor

Expert Answer

Manage your condition by eating a healthy, balanced diet, and exercising regularly. Maintaining a healthy weight is really important as well. Avoid eating processed sugars, refined flours, and saturated fats. If possible, eat a Mediterranean diet or low-glycemic diet is a great way to keep your body healthy.

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Question

Can diabetes affect my period?

Rebecca Levy-Gantt, MPT, DO
Board Certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist
Dr. Rebecca Levy-Gantt is a board certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist running a private practice based in Napa, California. Dr. Levy-Gantt specializes in menopause, peri-menopause and hormonal management, including bio-Identical and compounded hormone treatments and alternative treatments. She is also a Nationally Certified Menopause Practitioner and is on the national listing of physicians who specialize in menopausal management. She received a Masters of Physical Therapy from Boston University and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Rebecca Levy-Gantt, MPT, DO

Board Certified Obstetrician & Gynecologist

Expert Answer

Diabetes can make your menstrual cycle inconsistent if it's left untreated.

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My mom's blood sugar level is 430. What can she do to reduce it effectively and are there any side effects of having a high blood sugar level?

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Registered Nurse
Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS

Registered Nurse

Expert Answer

The blood sugar level of 430 mg/dL is a critical number and needs medical attention, often emergency medical attention. Hyperglycemia, blood sugars rising above 130 mg/dL, becomes a medical emergency when the glucose in your blood rises to dangerous levels, usually above 240 mg/dL.

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At what level would your sugar count be before you have to go on insulin?

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS
Registered Nurse
Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.

Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS

Registered Nurse

Expert Answer

Hyperglycemia, or having high blood sugar levels, is a fasting level if your blood glucose level is above 130mg/dL. If blood glucose cannot be maintained below this with lifestyle changes and/or oral medication, then a person may need supplemental insulin. This also depends on if the person with diabetes has type 1 or type 2. Type 1 diabetes will need insulin. The decision to start taking insulin isn't easy. Some experts say initiating insulin or other blood glucose-lowering medications early in the course of Type 2 diabetes can lower blood glucose and even preserve some beta cell function (the function in the pancreas that helps secrete insulin).

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Question

Once diabetes has been confirmed is that decision final?

Chris M. Matsko, MD
Family Medicine Physician
Dr. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 25 years of medical research experience, Dr. Matsko was awarded the Pittsburgh Cornell University Leadership Award for Excellence. He holds a BS in Nutritional Science from Cornell University and an MD from the Temple University School of Medicine in 2007. Dr. Matsko earned a Research Writing Certification from the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) in 2016 and a Medical Writing & Editing Certification from the University of Chicago in 2017.

Chris M. Matsko, MD

Family Medicine Physician

Expert Answer

If you have type 2 diabetes and you lose weight to bring your BMI down to a normal range you may reverse the diagnosis. There is no cure for type 1 diabetes.

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Question

How do I reverse diabetes if I don't have it?

Erik Kramer, DO, MPH
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine
Dr. Erik Kramer is a Board-Certified Primary Care Physician at the University of Colorado. With over 15 years of experience, his clinical interests include obesity and weight management, diabetes care, and preventive care, as well as embracing a holistic approach to primary care. He received his Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) from the Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his residency at Central Maine Medical Center. Dr. Kramer is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.

Erik Kramer, DO, MPH

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine

Expert Answer

You can't reverse diabetes if you don't have a fasting blood sugar greater than 126 or A1c above 6.5%. But if you have borderline blood sugar (fasting 100-126 or A1c 5.7-6.4%), the above applies and can help decrease your risk for progressing. In addition, if you have any family risk factors or personal risk factors, addressing it now can help prevent.

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