Diabetes can be addressed holistically, emphasizing diet, exercise, medications, mental health
Beaver County TimesJul 24, 2017
"It's been the biggest change in my life right now," said Hinkle, 39, of
Hinkle began seeing Dr.
According to the
Diabetes is a metabolic condition that impacts blood glucose because the body cannot produce insulin or produces only a reduced amount.
The new diabetes-care model was introduced in November after
Having involvement by a behavioral health therapist might be a surprise to some, but that person plays a vital role within an all-encompassing treatment, Rao said.
"We are realizing that there is a very big part of the diabetes that is also mental health," she said. "So there may be anxiety and depression associated with the diagnosis. We have a behavioral specialist who can address that and talk about how a patient is coping with the diagnosis, how their families are coping with the diagnosis, and help them all work together."
Hinkle said the therapist has helped him. Even as a social worker, he did not initially connect emotional health with physical health, but it's been a game changer.
"If you have emotional issues surrounding food, and not even just that, but things that maybe affect somebody in their past, traumatic events ... there's a mental health component there as well to help correct what it was that lead to somebody having diet problems," he said. "So overall, I think it's both improved me physically and mentally. I just feel much more positive, less depressed, more active. So it's been incredible for me."
Diet, exercise and medication have also played a role in his success. Hinkle was diagnosed back in 2003 and has tried dieting and exercising on many occasions since then.
He said this program has been more successful for him because it makes him accountable. Even now that his 12 weeks of the initial program has passed, he continues to monitor his diet, gets up at
"They congratulate me for putting in the work, but I congratulate them for coming up with the ideas and holding me accountable," he said. "... This collaborative effort not only just applies to physical, but in all aspects of life. As long as you have that support system in place, the more likely that you'll be successful than trying to go it alone."
His wife, Jamie, who also has diabetes, is scheduled to meet with Rao soon.
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