[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.bergenmed.com\/are-you-one-of-the-10-of-americans-with-diabetes-heres-what-you-need-to-know\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.bergenmed.com\/are-you-one-of-the-10-of-americans-with-diabetes-heres-what-you-need-to-know\/","headline":"Are you one of the 10% of Americans with diabetes? Here\u2019s what you need to know","name":"Are you one of the 10% of Americans with diabetes? Here\u2019s what you need to know","description":"Janelle Yee, MD, endocrinologist at Bergen Medical Associates , discusses the symptoms of, treatment for and prevention of diabetes.   According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 37 million Americans \u2014 roughly 1 in 10 \u2014 have diabetes, a chronic disease that results in too much sugar in the blood. Equally","datePublished":"2022-05-01","dateModified":"2025-07-02","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.bergenmed.com\/author\/bmaadmin\/#Person","name":"BMA","url":"https:\/\/www.bergenmed.com\/author\/bmaadmin\/","identifier":1,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/739926f978e2075ff1252542d7683b64005f39680b89bf687eccfb5e84dd7568?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/739926f978e2075ff1252542d7683b64005f39680b89bf687eccfb5e84dd7568?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Bergen Medical Associates","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.bergenmed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/bma-logo-2.png","url":"https:\/\/www.bergenmed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/bma-logo-2.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.bergenmed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/reopening-slide-1.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.bergenmed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/reopening-slide-1.jpg","width":1590,"height":670},"url":"https:\/\/www.bergenmed.com\/are-you-one-of-the-10-of-americans-with-diabetes-heres-what-you-need-to-know\/","about":["News"],"wordCount":892,"articleBody":"Janelle Yee, MD, endocrinologist at Bergen Medical Associates , discusses the symptoms of, treatment for and prevention of diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 37 million Americans \u2014 roughly 1 in 10 \u2014 have diabetes, a chronic disease that results in too much sugar in the blood. Equally alarming is the fact that an estimated 20% of people with diabetes aren\u2019t aware that they have the condition, which can lead to serious health consequences such as stroke, heart attack, kidney failure, vision problems, neuropathy and more if it\u2019s poorly managed or left untreated.Following, Janelle Yee, MD, endocrinologist at\u00a0Bergen Medical Associates, which has six offices throughout Bergen County, shares important information about the symptoms of, treatment for and prevention of diabetes.Types of Diabetes\u00a0\u2014\u00a0\u201cType 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which the pancreas doesn\u2019t make insulin, a hormone that enables the body to use glucose for energy,\u201d Dr. Yee said. \u201cThe more common \u2018Type 2\u2019 form of diabetes involves insulin resistance and\/or decreased production of insulin. There are also genetic forms of diabetes that run in families as well as gestational diabetes seen in pregnant women.\u201dSymptoms of Diabetes\u00a0\u2014 While symptoms vary from person to person and some people have no symptoms at all, \u201cCommon symptoms include increased urination throughout the day and night and constant thirst,\u201d Dr. Yee said. \u201cOthers may experience constant hunger, may crave sweets, and may lose weight without trying because they\u2019re not absorbing\/metabolizing nutrients or sugar. Still other symptoms can include blurry vision, numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, fatigue, slow ability to heal from cuts or wounds, and, for women, recurrent yeast infections.\u201dBlood Sugar Goals\u00a0\u2014 For those without diabetes, \u201cFasting blood sugar levels (after not eating for eight hours) should be less than 100 and before a meal, blood sugar should be less than 130,\u201d Dr. Yee said. \u201cBlood sugar levels two hours post-meal should be under 140 and blood sugar at bedtime should range from 100-140. For those with diabetes, fasting blood sugar should range from 70-130, two hours post-meal levels should be under 180, and blood sugar levels should be less than 140 before lunch and dinner.\u201dCorrect Times to Check Blood Sugar\u00a0\u2014 \u201cThere are seven times during the day when it\u2019s meaningful for people with diabetes to check their blood sugar levels to assess whether they\u2019re achieving their goals,\u201d Dr. Yee said. \u201cThese include the morning upon wakeup (fasting blood sugar); before lunch, dinner and bedtime; and then two hours after each meal. You don\u2019t have to do all of these, but if you\u2019re going to check your blood sugar levels, don\u2019t do it randomly; do it at one or more of these milestone markers.\u201dPlanning Meals\u00a0\u2014 Dr. Yee confirmed that diet and portion control are critical for diabetics. \u201cPeople with diabetes think that they can\u2019t have any carbs (like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, etc.), but they absolutely can as long as they\u2019re consumed in moderation,\u201d she said, noting that some vegetables are deceptively high in carbs, such as carrots and corn. \u201cPeople with diabetes should avoid or reduce their consumption of refined or simple carbs such as white bread, white rice and pasta as well as sugary sodas and juices and other items high in refined sugars. Go for complex carbs like brown rice, wheat bread and brown pasta, and work closely with a nutritionist,\u201d she recommended.Medication for Diabetes\u00a0\u2014 \u201cTraditional approaches to controlling blood sugar include the use of insulin and Metformin,\u201d but we also have a host of non-insulin medications in our arsenal now and the medical community can help control sugar from a number of different angles in both pill and injectable form,\u201d she said. According to Dr. Yee, the optimal time to take diabetes medication such as insulin is 15 minutes before a meal, because it takes that amount of time to activate and will best synchronize the consumption of food with the administration of insulin.Diabetes Prevention \u2014 While Dr. Yee said that Type 1 and genetic forms of diabetes are harder to prevent, Type 2 is preventable to a certain extent. \u201cKey preventative measures include adhering to a healthy balanced diet featuring fruits, vegetables, proteins, and fats and maintaining a healthy weight,\u201d she said, adding that even a 5% to 10% weight loss can improve glycemic control. \u201cAlso, 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week (such as five 30-minute sessions) reduces insulin resistance, decreases abdominal fat and helps control blood sugars.\u201d\u201cOverall, diabetes is a chronic illness which can be prevented with a healthy diet, exercise and normal body weight,\u201d Dr. Yee concluded. \u201cIf diabetes develops, however, it can be managed and patients can do very well, especially if they work with a team of experts such as a nutritionist, diabetes educator, eye doctor, podiatrist, etc. The bottom line is that it\u2019s imperative to get diabetes under control to reduce the risk of serious health complications down the line.\u201dFor More InformationWith offices in Emerson, Paramus (two), Ridgewood, Northvale and Montvale, Bergen Medical Associates offers primary care and 12 areas of specialized care. Patients enjoy the \u201cone-stop shopping\u201d approach where so many medical services are provided under one umbrella. The multi-specialty group fosters an environment of collaboration among the physicians, which results in a seamless continuum of care for patients. For more information, contact us today or call\u00a0201-967-8221."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Are you one of the 10% of Americans with diabetes? Here\u2019s what you need to know","item":"https:\/\/www.bergenmed.com\/are-you-one-of-the-10-of-americans-with-diabetes-heres-what-you-need-to-know\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]