by REBEKAH PIERCE
Sponsored by Central Florida Health Care
Diabetes doesn’t wait, and neither should you.
If you’re worried about developing diabetes or how to manage it if you’ve already been diagnosed, the most important thing you can do is be proactive with your health by making lifestyle changes.
The second most important thing you can do is to see an endocrinologist.
Endocrinologists like Central Florida Health Care’s Kevin Manalo, APRN, serve as key partners in this journey.
“We are the specialists of diabetes,” he explains, emphasizing why it’s so important for patients to seek treatment from an endocrinologist in addition to a general practitioner. “Diabetes can be a very time-consuming [disease] with a need for tailored care to the patient.”
Endocrinologists treat people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
“Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune [condition] when the body stops producing insulin. These people need insulin therapy most of their lives, unless a cure is found.”
Type 2 diabetes is a more common disease, Manalo says, pointing out that he himself has been diagnosed with the condition.
“It’s linked to lifestyle factors, like eating too many carbohydrates, sugar, and not exercising. These are usually things that can be not necessarily reversed, but managed and controlled to a certain degree.”
Because of this, Manalo says he focuses much of his practice on tailoring his approach to the individual patient.
“I take my time with the patient. I [have the patient] explain to me what their lifestyle is. I don’t give a template treatment to each patient. I talk to them, see what they’re doing, what they’re eating.”
Diet and exercise changes can be revolutionary when it comes to managing type 2 diabetes, he says, citing himself as an example. A rice-lover, he didn’t cut out the carbohydrate entirely.
“I heavily controlled it, decreased it by a good amount,” he says. “I’m eating it every day, but my diabetes is well controlled now.”
Manalo isn’t interested in telling people they have to entirely cut certain foods from their diets. Instead, his approach leans heavily on moderation.
“It’s difficult to go against culture,” which is a key dietary influence, so he doesn’t. Instead, he works one-on-one with each patient to help them modify their diets and lifestyle in a way that works for them.
Still, he’s far from a “wait and see” kind of practitioner. “It’s better to get it under control as soon as possible,” he says, “than to deal with complications from progressing disease.”
Countless complications can arise from unmanaged or poorly managed diabetes, including kidney failure, vision loss, and heart disease.
“Sometimes, those complications do not present themselves immediately,” he continues.
“Kidney failure can happen over the course of 10 years. I tell my patients it’s important to be on top of your diabetes and monitor your bloodwork so if a complication presents itself, we aren’t surprised.”
Endocrinology is “a numbers game,” he says, meaning frequent follow-ups with regular bloodwork are a must. Again, personalization is key. Manalo always encourages his patients to attempt lifestyle changes first before turning to medication.
“There are always side effects, and the pros have to outweigh the cons. If I can avoid medication, I’ll give them that chance.”
Manalo isn’t alone in his desire to meet patients where they’re at with a more customized approach to healthcare. Central Florida Health Care has expanded its offerings to provide even more resources to people who might be living with diabetes. There are plans to open the Diabetes Center for Excellence inside the new Lakeland Health Center that is scheduled to open in early 2026. That facility will help even more patients tap into educational resources close to home.
While diabetes affects approximately 11.6 percent of the country’s population, that doesn’t mean treating it requires a one-size-fits-all approach. As Manalo and his colleagues are demonstrating, the key to living a full, healthy life with diabetes comes down to two things: proactive management and an individualized, integrated approach.