Diabetes is manageable, and the earlier it’s caught the easier it is to manage. At Be or Become in Whitinsville, Ehab Zekri, FNP cares for type 1 and type 2 diabetes and prediabetes as part of primary care for patients across the Blackstone Valley: A1C and metabolic labs, medication adjusted to your numbers, and follow-up that doesn’t drop off after the first visit.
Types
Type 1: Caused by autoimmune reaction. This stops your body from making insulin. (Insulin dependent)
Approximately 5-10% of the people who have diabetes have type 1.
Type 2: Your body doesn’t use insulin well and can’t keep blood sugar at normal levels. ( Oral meds, Insulin)
Approximately 90 – 95% of the people who have diabetes have type 2.
Diabetes by the Numbers
the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled.
Symptoms
- Urinate often, especially at night
- Very thirsty
- Lose weight without trying
- Very hungry
- Blurry vision
- Numb or tingling hands or feet
- Very tired
- Sores that heal slowly
In the U.S., about 97.6 million adults age 18-64 and 27.2 million adults age 65 or older have prediabetes, and many people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are unaware of their condition.
Some diabetes risk factors can be controlled by lifestyle choices. These are called modifiable risk factors. Those that you can’t change are non-modifiable risk factors.
Non-modifiable risk factors for Type 2 diabetes
Risk factors that increase your risk for developing prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes that can’t be changed are:
Your risk is higher if a parent or sibling has diabetes. Tell us your family history at your first visit so we can screen earlier and more often.
Type 2 diabetes is more common among Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian American, and Pacific Islander adults. If that applies to you, we start screening sooner.
Risk rises after 45, which is why we check A1C as part of routine physicals from that age on, or earlier if you have other risk factors.
If you had diabetes during a pregnancy, or delivered a baby over 9 pounds, your lifetime risk of type 2 is higher. Mention it and we’ll keep an eye on it.
Modifiable risk factors for Type 2 diabetes
Carrying extra weight, especially around the midsection, raises insulin resistance. Losing 5–10% of body weight meaningfully lowers risk. If weight is part of the picture, our medical weight management program is built for exactly this.
Regular movement helps your body use insulin. Aim for about 150 minutes a week of anything that gets your heart rate up; we’ll help you find what fits.
High blood pressure and diabetes often travel together and multiply each other’s damage. We manage both at the same visits. See our high blood pressure care.
Smoking raises blood sugar and makes diabetes harder to control. We can help with a quit plan and medication when it’s useful.
Diabetes care at Be or Become
At your first visit we check A1C, fasting glucose, kidney function, and lipids, and review how you’ve been managing so far. From there we set a target A1C together and adjust medication, including GLP-1 and insulin where appropriate, until you reach it. If you’re on a pump or CGM, we work with your data. Follow-ups are every three months until you’re stable, with annual eye and foot screening referrals. We accept BCBS, Tufts, Mass General Brigham, Medicare, MassHealth, and most major plans.
Ready to get started?
Accepting new patients from Whitinsville, Northbridge, and surrounding towns.