 Central PA Physician Group employees attended the Blair GO RED For Women Event at the Blair County Convention Center on May 24th from 6-9 PM. As you can see, they are all dressed in red to show their support for a wonderful cause! Heart disease is the number one killer of women. The American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women® movement provides women with the tools and resources they need to reduce their risk and empowers every woman to live a longer, stronger life. Blair Go Red For Women is a fabulous evening that included a fashion show, a guest speaker, a cash bar, a buffet dinner and a purse auction! The fashion show included heart survivor models in styles from Macy’s and Miss Pennsylvania International titleholders. Be on the lookout next year to support this event!  Here are some pictures of some of our Altoona Nurses. We are working to bring you the remaining nurses from our satellite offices: Patton, Bedford and Roaring Spring Nurses are special people. They put the patient first no matter what. Certainly not claiming this diagram, but wanted to share the unique cycle of MOMENTUM. Hopefully you get value out of this image. The goal is for you to start having better days and ultimately a better and more fulfilling life. #GetAfterIt!   Insulin is a hormone that is made to store glucose after eating. This is a good thing because the cells need sugar and store it for later use. Plus, it is not healthy for your arteries to have an abundance of sugar circulating unnecessarily; this effect can damage the arteries and lead to plaque build up and many subsequent problems. Now, most diabetics are on the medicine metformin and/or insulin shots. This is the fast and relatively reliable way, but it is also expensive and invasive. What if there was another way? Would you at least consider it? Resistance training (e.g. weight training) is effective for controlling sugars (reducing A1C) in people who have Type 2 diabetes. It has actually be scientifically shown to produce insulin-like effects in people with Type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, the amount and intensity of resistance training needed to produce maximum benefit is currently undetermined, but it is known that even one short bout (e.g. 10 minutes) can produce effects. They may not yet be significant effects, but it is at least working. Like everything else, the more you do it, the better the potential for positive results. For those of you who have or know someone who has Type 1 diabetes, here is what the literature shows: few randomized-control trials have been conducted. The results are even less defined for this population. There is no significant effect on A1C levels; however, the few studies that have been conducted have shown that those with Type 1 diabetes require LOWER DOSES after incorporating resistance training into their lives. So whatever dose you currently take, imagine lowering it. These insulin-like effects from resistance training have been shown to last up to 72 hours. The advice is to play it safe and perform resistance training every other day (every 48 hours). So, basically do it Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Aside from helping to control your sugar levels, resistance training also has the potential to increase your muscle mass, which reduces your progression of muscle loss (atrophy); it also keeps the neuromuscular junction (the point where the muscle and nerve meet) stimulated with the goal of delaying neuropathy as a result of diabetes. Not only does this enhance quality of life, but the potential for falling goes down because you can feel your feet. As always, PLEASE BE SURE TO CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE STARTING ANY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OR SPECIFIC EXERCISE PROGRAM. Everyone has limitations. Make sure you know yours before engaging in any physical activity.  Why care about diabetes?
Beyond mortality, there are many more reasons why YOU SHOULD CARE about preventing and managing diabetes. What is it?: Diabetes is a VERY SERIOUS disease that does not allow sugar to be stored in the body's cells. Insulin is the hormone that unlocks the door for sugar to be stored away for later use. When insulin is not produced or refuses to do its job, then you have graduated to diabetes. Types: There are 2 types: Type I and Type II. Type I is when the body simply does not produce insulin anymore. Type II is when the body produces insulin, but cannot put it to use. Type II is the more common type. What happens when you have diabetes? This is a VERY SERIOUS disease because the sugar that remains in the blood stream can create disturbances in the integrity of YOUR ARTERIES. It can also lead to increased blood pressure. These can cause damage, which starts the inflammatory process (much like a cut on your arm), which ultimately leads to calcium and plaque buildup. Plaque buildup blocks blood flow. And, without blood flow, the body cannot receive oxygen and other nutrients to stay HEALTHY and ALIVE. Therefore it DIES! This is why you see many diabetics with black toes or missing toes. Some even have missing limbs. Leave this disease go long enough and it can lead to HEART DISEASE and/or STROKE. Other effects of UNMANAGED diabetes is the following:
If this article scares you, then it has served it's greater purpose. We NEED YOU to understand the severity of this disease so you do not become a statistic!! DIABETES is VERY MANAGEABLE!! People live 50 years of fulfilling lives with diabetes, but they take care of it!  Central PA Physician's employee responded as a hero on Tuesday Evening. She witnessed a terrible accident on 17th street that resulted in severe injuries to a young man. His car flipped into a telephone pole putting him into a life-threatening situation. Driving behind him was Tania Caldwell who witnessed the entire event happen. Even in extreme cold temperatures, Tania responded with extreme bravery. She pulled off the road and immediately ran to the vehicle to assist the boy. She said she tried to get him out but she couldn't; still, she decided to stay with him to give him hope that he will be okay. She continued to talk to the young boy until professionals arrived to take over the scene. Thankfully the young boy lived and is in the recovery phase. Without Tania's assistance that day, perhaps the boy would have given up hope. The LESSON: We never know how or when we will be called to help others. The important thing is to simply help whenever and however you can. It is our duty as human beings. Needless to say, we are so proud of Tania and her efforts to help save a life, that it deserved to be recognized. Well done, Tania!  Dr. Abrahamian (far right) has a stern determination to raise awareness for his co-worker Jeannette! Check out the cool unified group photo below, as well as the GOFUNDME page that Dr. Abrahamian created for Jeannette!  |
