Los Alamos YMCA fitness instructor and personal trainer Raj Vaidya and Dr. Madhavi Garimella attend ScienceFest’s Discovery Day June 21 to show how exercise and diet can help control, manage and in some cases reverse the effects of diabetes. Courtesy photo
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
Rajendra Vaidya (Raj) and Dr. Madhavi Garimella are joining forces to battle diabetes. Their strategy? Utilizing exercise, promoting a healthy diet and letting patients use continuous glucose monitoring (CGMs) so they can see the benefits in real time.
The fight against the disease that effects about 13 percent of New Mexicans who are diagnosed as well as an additional 10 percent who are undiagnosed, per the American Diabetes Association, kicked off during Discovery Day June 21. Vaidya and Garimella presented a poster that listed studies published in medical journals including JAMA, CDC and American Diabetes Association showing that type II diabetes, and in particular pre-diabetes symptoms, can be controlled, managed, and in some cases reversed through moderate exercise and diet.
Vaidya said these studies motivated Garimella and himself to conduct their own experiment in Los Alamos. Therefore, for two weeks five to 10 volunteers will receive a CGM free of charge from Garimella, who is an endocrinologist at Medical Associates of Northern New Mexico (MANNM), while Vaidya, who is a fitness instructor and personal trainer at the Los Alamos YMCA, will provide exercise and dietary guidance. He added that the YMCA will provide guest memberships to the study’s participants for the duration of the study.
The hope is by monitoring participants’ glucose levels in their blood while participating in controlled, regimented fitness and health activities, “you can actually keep your blood sugar under control,” Vaidya said.
These studies will be beneficial in charting a path forward for pre-diabetic and Type II diabetes patients. The exciting thing is that it is being done without medication, including increased doses or otherwise.
“If we can solve this problem without medication – why not,” Vaidya said.
Garimella also voiced support for the study.
“I strongly believe in the role of exercise and lifestyle choices in the management of diabetes,” she said. “There are several studies which have looked at sugars dropping with exercise or even a simple walk after meals. Hopefully, this collaboration with the YMCA will convince people toward the benefits of the same.”
Besides providing tools to control and manage diabetes, the study is also a chance to spread awareness about the disease. Vaidya pointed out that diabetes’ symptoms are not always apparent; it is commonly referred to as the “silent killer”.
“If we can educate people and give them tools … (and) show them things they can do to take care of themselves – that should be the incentive behind all things,” he said.
Vaidya noted the study also is a great opportunity for MANNM and the YMCA to share their prospective skills and resources.
“We thought this would be a great collaboration with the medical community and the YMCA,” he said.
There is also a personal element to this study, too. Vaidya said he and his wife, Alina Deshpande, have been long-time friends with Garimella. Deshpande will help with the study, and Vaidya’s and Deshpande’s daughter, Ashvini, who is starting her medical residency in Seattle, will be contributing, as well.
As far as what participants will be expected to do while taking part in the study, Vaidya said they will need to exercise about three times a week. This doesn’t mean they need to go to 20 different fitness classes but rather do some weight training and some aerobic exercise, he added. It can be catered to each individual, depending on their age, fitness level, interests and skills.
To utilize their CGMs, Vaidya said participants can download an app, which will record all the data. Garimella will attach the monitors and provide instructions on how to use them. The CGM will need to be worn throughout the entire course of the study.
The study is only open to those who are either pre-diabetic or are diagnosed with Type II diabetes.
Diabetes can wreck serious consequences on people, Vaidya said. For instance, it can cause blindness, heart problems, kidney failure, brain problems and peripheral vascular disease. As long-time fitness instructors at the YMCA for more than 33 years, Vaidya said he and Deshpande can attest to the benefits of exercise, which include improved cardiovascular health, better memory and balance.
“Fitness has been a passion of mine and Alina’s for many years,” Vaidya said. In fact, he taught his 6,000th step class in March this year.
He emphasized the hope is that by all the study’s contributors sharing their expertise, the community will benefit, even just through word of mouth.
“The bottom line is we are doing this for the community,” Vaidya said. “We hope the community benefits from this.”
He added, “even if it helps one or two people – any benefit when it comes to health is a plus.”
For more information, please contact Raj Vaidya at 505.660.1142.