Manchester Memorial Hospital | Healthy Connections | Fall 2016

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W E KNOW our health can change
as we age. Eyesight may falter.
Hearing may fade. Fatigue may
build.
But are we right to blame it all on aging?
Maybe not, experts say.
In fact, many so-called signs of aging may
actually point to another serious condition:
type 2 diabetes.
Is it the sugar?
Diabetes is related to how we convert food to
energy. When we eat, our bodies break down
food into glucose, a type of sugar. Glucose
powers our cells. Insulin helps glucose move
from the blood into the cells.
People with type 2 diabetes either don’t
make enough insulin or their bodies don’t use
insulin correctly. Either way, glucose builds up
in the blood.
High blood sugar causes a number of symp-
toms, some of which can be confused with
aging. For instance:
Poor vision. Too much glucose can distort
structures in the eye and blur vision.
Trouble hearing. High glucose damages
blood vessels and nerves. When that damage
occurs in the ear, hearing can suffer.
Growing fatigue. When food isn’t properly
converted into energy, you can feel run down.
Greater appetite. Glucose trapped in the
blood can’t reach—and fuel—your cells. Your
body believes more fuel is needed. Result?
Hunger pangs.
Increasing thirst. Kidneys remove excess
glucose from the blood. The body expels it as
urine. The more you urinate, the thirstier you
get.
If you have any of these symptoms, see your
doctor. You may need a blood test to check for
type 2 diabetes.
Are you at risk?
A lack of symptoms doesn’t always mean
you’re diabetes-free. Many people with type
2 diabetes have no symptoms. That’s why it’s
also important to know the risk factors for
diabetes.
For instance, diabetes is more common
when people are older, overweight and have
family members with the condition.
Ask your doctor if you should be tested for
type 2 diabetes. If you do have it, your doctor
can help you keep it under control.
Sources: American Association of Diabetes Educators; American Diabetes
Association
Wellness
M ANCHESTER Memo-
rial Hospital (MMH) has
again extended its service
lines to better serve your needs. We
have opened the Manchester Surgery
Center, with talented general sur-
geon Osman Mahdi Babikir, MD,
FRCSI, on staff. He will take surgery
referrals and patient visits in this
new clinic.
Dr. Mahdi Babikir has 17 years
of general surgery experience, in-
cluding minimally invasive, robotic
and endoscopic procedures. “I am
most excited to be part of this com-
munity,” he said. “It has always been
my mission to deliver exceptional
surgical care to those who need it,
and I am honored to have that op-
portunity in Manchester.”
Dr. Mahdi Babikir and the Man-
chester Surgery Center are located
at 485 Memorial Drive, Suite 3,
in Manchester, Kentucky. For an
appointment, please call (606)
598-4531 today!
For more information about
our clinics and services, please visit
or
call us at (606) 598-5104.
The Freedom From Smoking program is offered free to the public at Manchester
Memorial Hospital on a regular basis. This eight-week program combines nicotine
replacement therapy products (patches, gum or lozenges) with a supportive group
setting and trained facilitators hosting the meetings.
Get support for
quitting smoking
Next class begins Oct. 6; registration ends Oct. 4
Could it be diabetes?
Don’t chalk up symptoms to getting older
Osman Mahdi
Babikir, MD,
FRCSI
Manchester Surgery Center opens
Creekview Meeting
Room, Manchester
Memorial Hospital
Please call (606)
598-1095 for more
information.