 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.
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 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!  There is a massive misunderstanding in the fitness industry regarding this topic. There has been a tremendous amount of research showing unhealthy people are still fit, and fit people are still unhealthy. The first step to understanding this statement is to fully understand the terminology. When people think of being "FIT" they think of being healthy. This is not necessarily the case. Fitness is only one piece of health. Fitness is actually defined by 5 components: Body mass, muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiorespiratory endurance and flexibility. I feel "Recovery" should be added as another. Anyways, there are many "FIT" people out there, but they have no idea what is going on underneath. They could have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, etc. These conditions allow you to still exercise at a high capacity, usually without feeling any symptoms. Have you ever heard of a marathon runner finishing the race and collapsing from a heart attack? Chances are it was an electrolyte imbalance or congenital heart disease, but it could also mean they have arterial disease. To conclude a very important topic:
 Sue Carter and I, among others displayed our continual support for our co-worker Jeannette whom is battling breast cancer. It is my understanding that Jeannette finished her final round of radiation yesterday. This is excellent news and a major milestone in her journey to heal and recover! If there is someone out there, whether you know them or not, I want you to think of this question before turning your head: Are you capable of supporting that person in some way?  Rebecca Dobson is a Cardiac Sonographer at Central PA Physician's Group. She performs multiple tasks for the office; including but not limited to: echocardiograms and stress echocardiograms. Please enjoy her short video biography! You will discover an amazing person who truly cares about you and works to help you solve your problems! Click the button below to hear from more of our staff members.
Reference: American Heart Association "Cholesterol isn’t just something that sits in your body like fat around your waist. It’s carried through your bloodstream by carriers made of fat (lipid) and proteins. These are called – no big surprise – lipoproteins. Two types of lipoproteins carry cholesterol to and from cells. One is low-density lipoprotein, or LDL. The other is high-density lipoprotein, or HDL. The amount of each type of cholesterol in your blood can be measured by a blood test. LDL (Bad) CholesterolLDL cholesterol is called “bad” cholesterol. Think of it as less desirable or even lousy cholesterol, because it contributes to fatty buildups in arteries (atherosclerosis). Plaque buildups narrow arteries and raise the risk for heart attack, stroke and peripheral artery disease (narrowed arteries in the legs). HDL (Good) CholesterolHDL cholesterol is “good” cholesterol. Think of it as the “healthy” cholesterol, so higher levels are better. Experts believe HDL acts as a scavenger, carrying LDL cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver. There it’s broken down and passed from the body. A healthy HDL cholesterol level may protect against heart attack and stroke. Studies show low levels of HDL cholesterol increase the risk of heart disease. HDL cholesterol does not completely eliminate LDL cholesterol. Only one-fourth to one-third of blood cholesterol is carried by HDL. TriglyceridesTriglycerides are the most common type of fat in the body; they store excess energy from your diet. A high triglyceride level combined with low HDL cholesterol or high LDL cholesterol is linked with fatty buildups in artery walls. This increases the risk of heart attack and stroke." Reference URL: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/HDLLDLTriglycerides/HDL-Good-LDL-Bad-Cholesterol-and-Triglycerides_UCM_305561_Article.jsp#.WoxapWeWyM8  Here are a handful of amazing memories in our 1st year of cardiac rehab. We have officially graduated 38 patients since the launch of the program in January 2017. We currently have 20 active patients. Exercise Prescriptions are customized for each individual based on objective testing measures. We follow the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines. We do pre, mid and post-stress testing to measure progress in each patient. We are located on the 2nd floor of Dr. Khoury's brand new building on 12th street in Altoona, PA. We have a walking track and state of the art exercise equipment and telemetry system. We are a great big family. We have fun and get better in the process. Come check us out anytime you want!                |
