Magnolia Matters - 2019 Spring/Summer

Gadd, now 25, is able to focus less on the disease and more on enjoying life and his hobbies, including following Ole Miss football and wrestling and spending time with family and friends. Since getting on a management routine and undergoing some education with Parks, Gadd doesn’t have any serious complications and has much more knowledge on what to look out for with the disease. Gadd said, “I’m feeling great these days! Carmen has really helped to educate us on how to best manage my diabetes, so that I can live the best quality of life with little to no complications.” He added, “Magnolia and the entire staff have been absolutely amazing! They certainly changed my life for the better.” When to Speak to a Professional If you are experiencing increased thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, unintended weight loss, irritability, fatigue, or blurred vision, you might be experiencing symptoms resulting from Type 1 diabetes. If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms, it’s important to reach out to your provider immediately. For more information regarding Carmen Parks, FNP-C, Dr. Delali Blavo, Endocrinologist, and the Magnolia Diabetes Center (located inside the Magnolia Specialty Clinic), please call 662.665.8041 or visit MRHC.org/DiabetesCenter Diabetes is the condition in which the body does not properly process food for use as energy. Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose, or sugar. The pancreas makes a hormone called insulin to help that glucose get into the cells of our bodies. With diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use its own insulin as well as it should, which causes sugars to build up in your blood. Different Types of Diabetes Prediabetes: Blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to become Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes: The body produces a high level of insulin at first and then begins to develop insulin resistance, resulting in high glucose levels. Type 1 diabetes: The body does not produce insulin. What Is Diabetes? MAGNOLIA MATTERS 15 www.MRHC.org